#not to turn this into a diary entry but today feels so cinematic for some reason. the sun is shining the wind is blowing the tram is

[gothiclit]

rip percy shelley you would've loved the overpriced vegan "forest" donut i am eating right now

[letterboxd]

How I Letterboxd #12: Joe Lynch.

Self-described cinedork and Mayhem filmmaker Joe Lynch tells Horrorville’s Brett Petersel about cinematic sausage, getting to direct Creepshow episodes and being a three-star starter on Letterboxd.

“Even when I watch what I would think is a real stinker, I also consider that there were many people involved in that film who didn’t walk on set going ‘okay people, let’s screw this up today!’” —Joe Lynch

It is always a pleasure to find film directors lurking on Letterboxd. Joe Lynch is a bona fide, OG member, having racked up more than 1,500 diary entries, giving half-star reviews to his own work, and creating lists of the movies that have influenced the making of his films.

There are the films that were in Lynch’s subconscious when he made Mayhem, a workplace splatter led by Steven Yeun and Samara Weaving. There are the movies he watched while researching the Salma Hayek-starring Everly. And this just in: films that influenced The Right Snuff, one of Lynch’s two episodes for the new Creepshow series—based on the 1982 horror-comedy classic and its sequels—which premieres on Shudder April 15.

Like so many of us, Lynch took time during the pandemic to catch up on films he had neglected to watch in spite of a previous career as a video-store clerk (a Criterion Channel subscription helped him get on top of the backlog). In this edition of ‘How I Letterboxd’, Lynch discusses how those classics have informed his craft, who his Letterboxd faves are, and why the horror genre is the future of the industry.

Steven Yeun and Samara Weaving in Joe Lynch’s ‘Mayhem’ (2017).

How long have you been on Letterboxd? Joe Lynch: I remember when Letterboxd was in its beta phase way back in good ol’ 2012 and I couldn’t wait to sign up, breathlessly waiting for an invite to the party. At the time, I had a digital database where I would log movies I’ve seen, but it was always subject to whatever laptop or device I had handy and would just be a mess of titles with no rhyme or reason.

When a member follows you, what should they expect? I put it right up top in my description: “I am not a critic”, just a lover of cinema. At first I didn’t want to write “reviews” in the description, especially since I first started using the service whilst in the throes of a horrible experience making a film that I thought would bury me and I’d never work again. I was like, and I still feel this way, “who am I to rip on a movie when someone can throw it right back at me? Like ‘dude, you directed Knights of Badassdom, sit down’.”

I’ve always had the highest regard for filmmakers who can get anything made. So even when I watch what I would think is a real stinker, I also consider that there were many people involved in that film who didn’t walk on set going “okay people, let’s screw this up today!” but instead were trying their best and circumstances just got in the way, which always happens. Having made a few films and TV now, I’m fully aware of the trials and tribulations that go into making a movie and have all the respect in the world for anyone who can steer that ship to completion. It’s hard making movies and even harder making one that is your original vision [and] that is widely embraced by an audience.

I have very weird tastes so don’t be shocked if you glance at my recent activity and you see Casablanca, The Silence of the Lambs or Bigger Than Life right next to The Legend of Billie Jean, Con Air or Candyman 3. I’m usually bouncing all over the place in terms of what kinds of movies I’m screening. From films recommended to me, to films that I may be watching for research, or even just how I’m feeling that day and maybe need a good laugh or a good cry or to be scared stiff. I like that kind of variety. There’s something out there for everyone and every emotion. If anything, I’d say expect the unexpected when it comes to my viewing habits.

What’s your favorite feature to use and why? One of the residual effects of working at video stores as a kid was my desire to siphon people’s tastes in movies and possibly recommend films to others as well, so my favorite feature is the ease of use in logging films and being able to quickly recall those films as well in the event someone asks me “what’s something I should watch?”. Getting older, the “employee’s picks” in my head is getting a little harder to cross-reference than usual so to have the ability to whip out my phone and say “oh man, I just watched Possession and it was awesome!” is exponentially helpful to a cinedork like myself.

‘Big Trouble in Little China’ (1986)—a five-star film says Joe Lynch.

How do you rate the films you watch? For example, what type of film is worthy of a five-star review? Funny, I always start out on three-stars mainly because I’m so proud of the filmmakers actually getting it completed! I’ve been there! I’m somewhat biased in my reflections because I’m always rooting for the artists and from there, it’s usually gauged on both an emotional level and a technical level. I always get made fun of while watching movies because I can point out hidden cuts or when a shot is reversed but [I’m] not trying to point out flaws, it's just how my brain is wired at this point. When you pull the curtain back enough to see how the cinematic sausage is made, it's harder and harder to objectively watch a movie without trying to dissect how it was done. I try so hard to shut that part of my brain off to just passively enjoy a movie but it’s tough. I usually skew towards the positive.

The films I’ve given five-stars are movies that have continually affected me over the years and have inspired me as a person and a filmmaker, which is everything from The Empire Strikes Back, Dawn of the Dead and When Harry Met Sally... to Big Trouble in Little China, The Blob, The Last of the Mohicans. I looked back at my five-stars and it’s mostly movies that made a significant impression on me from an early age and continue to do so, maybe even more so as I get older and I view these movies in a different light.

The anthology show Creepshow returns to Shudder this month. Tell us about the two episodes you directed for the series, ‘Pipe Screams’ and ‘The Right Snuff’. Both Creepshow and Creepshow 2 were important films in my youth and even today, they were some of the first movies I remember where I wasn’t quite sure if I was supposed to be scared or laugh. These films proclaimed we could do both! As a disciple of George A. Romero, Stephen King and Tom Savini, Creepshow really shaped how I watched movies and how I made them—consider the anthology I did a few years back, Chillerama, as a prime example. So when Shudder announced the show, I had to do everything on my part to convince them I could take the baton from these masters of the macabre and do them and the many fans proud.

To come to the table and say “I want ‘The Right Snuff’ to feel like 2001: A Space Odyssey crashed into The Andromeda Strain, and ‘Pipe Screams’ is my homage to The Blob and Delicatessen”—and then everyone just immediately getting it—was a dream. Between the casts I was lucky enough to work with and the amazing crew, especially the FX geniuses at KNB, it really was one of those dream jobs I’ll never forget. I hope audiences dig the madness we conjured up on those!

Season 2 of the Shudder series ‘Creepshow’ returns to the horror streamer this month. A third season has been ordered.

If you were to expand the Mayhem universe, what would it look like? We tried! I pitched the producers the idea of the ID-7 virus in other locations and situations because in essence the idea of being uninhibited by mental and emotional constraints is so ripe. My favorite was the idea that it would get loose in a Wal-Mart or a mall on Black Friday when consumers swarm to these department stores for the best deals. You’ve seen the videos, it’s just mass hysteria. The footage already out there would have been perfect to use already and those people aren’t even infected!

Sadly it didn’t come to pass, mainly because they asked “how do we get Steven and Samara back?” and I didn’t want to force those characters into that scenario, Die Hard 2 style. Plus they’re both huge stars now and likely unavailable for the next twelve years. But the ideas people have thrown out to me show that it was impactful enough to warrant variant scenarios in a “what if?” way that’s really exciting. Who knows, maybe the ID-7 virus could find its way onto the set of a movie production…

What excites you about the future of filmmaking, especially in horror films? The world is embracing new faces and voices more than ever and it means we’re getting stories that may not have ever had the chance to flourish and be seen and heard before. For the longest time the system was much more rigid because executives and producers thought that the audience was much less accepting of a wider world view in cinema and I think the last ten years has proven them wrong. There shouldn’t be any more “token” character or “strong [insert non-white-male] character” descriptions in development meetings. I hear it less and less, which is great because that’s not our world and since cinema—especially horror—is and always should be a reflection of our culture and times, it should reflect these evolutions as well.

When I made Wrong Turn 2: Dead End, the discussions over how one of the characters—a Black character played by Texas Battle—survived at the end was not in the original script but I pushed for it mainly because it was rare for the Black character to do so in a horror film. That shouldn’t be an anomaly! Why can’t there be a ‘final guy’ or have the survivors be LGBT+ or a POC and not the usual stereotypes?

I think now it’s more commonplace to see this and it excites me for the future of the genre that artists are being more welcome to express themselves without it feeling like it’s a gimmick or a twist on the norm.

I think generations of kids growing up with horror now are gonna see these strides in the storytelling—and who’s telling the stories—and push it even further. Places like Netflix and Shudder are willing to take chances with new voices more than the studio system, now more than ever, and that’s only going to produce some great stories now and in the future.

Erica Leehrsen and Texas Battle in a scene from ‘Wrong Turn 2: Dead End’ (2007).

How has the pandemic affected your creativity and influenced your work moving forward? Aside from losing a bunch of gigs due to the shutdown and being delayed on shooting Creepshow—which was a blessing in disguise considering the time we took to further develop the scripts and design of each episode—one of the main effects of the pandemic was how it gave many of us the time to catch up on a lot of films, mainly older ones. As you’d see from my diary entries on this very site, my viewing habits changed from a lot of modern films in that rat-race of catching up with the latest release, to mainly watching films I loved in the past and a lot of ’40s to ’70s films that I never got around to.

We have the tendency as film lovers to keep a mental list of films we’ll eventually get around to as if we have all the time in the world, but with the threat of the apocalypse and no real new content coming our way at the usual rapid clip, it was so gratifying to buy an annual subscription to Criterion Channel and start watching films like The Old Dark House, The Crimson Kimono, Contempt and many others.

All of these films impacted how I view film now and have bled into future projects I’m working on—especially on the technical side, when the world wasn’t influenced vicariously through MTV coverage and letting scenes play out in masters or longer takes, relishing in the performance or the mise-en-scéne. So, silver linings!

Before we go, who are some of your favorite follows on Letterboxd? I’m a big fan of Sean Baker, who I’ve known for almost 20 years now! We worked together in NYC and I was already a big Greg the Bunny fan but our mutual appreciation for fringe and exploitation films, especially international horror and genre films, seems to have bonded us for life. I love when he posts what he’s watching. Even if he’s just saying he screened something on Blu or streaming, his thoughts on cinema are always enjoyable and engaging.

In the same breath, filmmaker Jim Cummings has the best perspective on modern filmmaking and he’s clearly a big fan of using Letterboxd, so whenever I see peers like them using the app it makes me feel less like an obsessive movie dork myself, who should be getting back to work.

Some of the other follows I really enjoy are cineastes like Elric Kane and Brian Saur, who are the hosts of the New Beverly podcast Pure Cinema. Writers Anya Stanley, David Chen, Walter Chaw and Lindsay Blair Goeldner, musician and filmmaker Brendon Small, writer and critic Brian Tallerico, author Glenn Kenny, filmmaker Rodman Flender—just to name a few people who clearly love film and love sharing their thoughts on films in a very thoughtful way.

More times than not, I’m getting some great advice for what to watch next in my “new from friends” section! Because, like being at the video store, it’s casual conversations like the ones on Letterboxd that I love and always steering me to new films or revisiting old ones with a new perspective.

Related content

Joe’s film influences for ‘The Right Snuff’ Creepshow episode

The Video Store: Hollie Horror’s list of horror films with memorable scenes in video stores

Office Workplace Horror: J Cara’s list of office horror and workplace thrillers

Follow Brett on Letterboxd

Follow Horrorville—the home for horror on Letterboxd

[ramajmedia]

Ranked: Every Version Of Vampires On TV/Movies | ScreenRant

Vampire stories seem to have existed in one form or another nearly as long as stories have existed at all. It's an absolute classic piece of supernatural lore whose popularity has waxed and waned over the years, however, it's a genre of storytelling that has never and likely will never disappear from the world completely. Of course, that genre has changed and adapted with the times, going from classic legends to books, films, and television.

RELATED: Twilight: 10 Most Underrated Supporting Characters

There has been an almost incalculable number of iterations of vampire stories in film and television, or at least films and TV shows that incorporate vampire lore in some way. More importantly, clearly some vampire stories are better than others. Sometimes they're classic or modern, sometimes they're fluffy and light or completely horrifying, and sometimes they portray vampires as feral animals or as almost people. Here are all of the most well-known versions of vampires in films and TV, ranked.

10 Twilight

To be honest, Twilight is the vampire saga for people who hate everything about vampires. The vampires that populate this story are only vampires in name, and the only thing they seem to share in common with any traditional bloodsucker is just that, the fact that they happen to drink blood.

Twilight deserves to be acknowledged for introducing vampire lore to a new generation, but it's hard to say whether it deserves to be lauded or shamed for that fact, given it offers a rather underwhelming representation of vampires.

9 The Vampire Diaries

Oh, The Vampire Diaries. If The Vampire Diaries had ended sooner, then it would probably earn a spot much higher on this list, but sadly this show is one that presented itself as the anti-Twilight only to transform into Twilight as the years went on (with vampire babies and all).

Scream writer Kevin Williamson did a great job of balancing the romance and horror elements during the show's early years, but eventually, the horror elements all but disappeared. If the vampire version of 90210 sounds appealing, then TVD is probably for you. If you're a vampire fan, then it is probably best to skip The Vampire Diaries.

8 Hemlock Grove

For a few years, vampires were a pretty big trend, so it's no surprise that Netflix decided to jump on that bandwagon. Although it only lasted three seasons, their absolutely bananas original series Hemlock Grove was a fun and exciting supernatural show that tackled vampire lore from an unusual angle. 

RELATED: Hemlock Grove Characters Sorted Into Their Hogwarts Houses

Their version of vampires drew from the Eastern European legend of the Upir; Olivia and Roman, the show's main Upir mother and son, seemed to be in competition to determine who is crazier and more deranged. The special effects were cheesy, but the show and its vamps were undeniably entertaining.

7 True Blood

Twilight is probably the biggest vampire story juggernaut in recent history, but HBO's adaptation of Charlaine Harris' True Blood series took that trend and gave it some much-needed darkness and prestige. True Blood really leaned into the campy and fun aspects of vampire horror, and they certainly made it sexier and geared towards a more adult audience.

True Blood takes a lot of its mythology from classic vampire lore, but the show also adds a bit of fluff to make it more appealing to a modern audience. What the show really excelled at was not taking itself too seriously, which is tragically uncommon in a lot of vampire stories.

6 Being Human

It doesn't matter if you're talking about the original Being Human or the US adaptation of the hit UK series, the vampires in Being Human are actually some of the most fun and interesting characters in mainstream media of the last few years.

This pair of shows kind of flew under the radar, but they developed their own cult following, and with good reason. The story revolves around a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost who are all roommates, and clearly their attempts at "being human" don't always go as planned. It should go without saying, but Mitchell and Aidan will win over any vampire fan.

5 Interview With A Vampire

Anne Rice is kind of the Bram Stoker of the late 20th century. When it comes to writing her vampires, Rice goes for the absolute classics but she's also not afraid to make vampires as weird and creepy as they truly can be.

RELATED: The Vampire Diaries: 10 Most Underrated Supporting Characters

Many of Rice's big-screen adaptations have sadly fallen short of the source material, but Interview With A Vampire is an exception. It's hard to screw up when you have Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt as your leads, but this decades-spanning story of Louis and Lestat is everything that any vampire fan can hope for.

4 The Lost Boys

If anyone is ever looking for a vampire flick that is spunky, fun, and oh so delightfully '80s, then The Lost Boys will undoubtedly tickle your fancy. If Kiefer Sutherland with a mullet isn't enough to catch your attention, then the story of this squad of teen vampires running rampant in a coastal California town while being hunted by some even younger comic book fans certainly should be an attention grabber.

The Lost Boys miraculously manages to feel completely dated as well as totally timeless, and it's a must-see entry into the edgy teen vampire subgenre of vampire TV and movies.

3 Blade

It's both a blessed miracle that the Marvel Cinematic Universe decided to resurrect and reboot Blade and a near Greek tragedy that it took them this long to do it. Yes, Black Panther was epic, but let's not forget that Marvel already had an epic black superhero with some smashing box office success thanks to the original Blade.

RELATED: True Blood Characters Sorted Into Their Hogwarts Houses

The tale of this half-vampire vampire hunter is a fantastic comic book adaptation as well as a fantastic movie. It certainly fusses around with traditional vampire lore, but the way in which its vampires adapt to modern life still feels creative, edgy, and relevant today.

2 Let The Right One In

As if children aren't terrifying enough on their own, why not make them into savage blood-sucking animals that are legitimate wolves in sheep's clothing? The Swedish film Let The Right One In understandably won worldwide accolades for its incredibly unique vampire story.

It's a surprisingly soulful tale, with the friendship between child vampire Eli and human child Oskar taking center stage, but that kind of classic childhood story is turned on its head due to Eli's terrifying violence and unsettling way of navigating through the world. And for any vampire fans who were bullied as a child, Let The Right One In is absolutely essential viewing.

1 Buffy The Vampire Slayer

It seems a little ironic that the best vampire adaptation in television or film is mainly focused on a girl whose mystical destiny is to kill vampires, but that is undoubtedly how Joss Whedon and the rest of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer squad wanted it.

Buffy and its spinoff Angel were masterful about both embracing the conventions of vampire horror as well as completely flipping those conventions upside down to keep the audience surprised and impressed. However, what makes Buffy's vampires so exceptional is that they were truly exceptional and unique characters in their own right.

NEXT: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: 10 Biggest Twists, Ranked

source https://screenrant.com/vampires-ranked-every-version-tv-movies/

[westywrites]

Ground Assault

A short story written in journal style entries about a perfect boy and a naive narrator who end up in a not-so-perfect place. 

Length: 3632 words

Warnings: violence, death, explosions, other potentially upsetting subject matter. Please read with reasonable caution.

Please, read this and please understand everything I have to do. There is no other way, I'm so sorry. I'll show you everything you need to see, from the very beginning.

April 17

Dear diary, He looked at me today. In math class. His eyes are so perfect, they're brown but they're green and oh they're so perfect. Who gave him permission to look so perfect? Why did the teacher have to sit him so close to me? Why do his friends have to think I'm stupid?

April 20 Dear diary, Our hands touched! He asked me for a pencil, math class again of course, and as he took it from me our hands touched. He smiled almost like he did it on purpose. I thought my heart was going to fly out of my chest.

April 23 Dear diary, Today is his birthday. I know because his friends were talking about the party they're gonna have this weekend. Apparently they're gonna marathon some horror movies. I wonder if he gets scared, I wonder if he's as disturbed by the violence as he was when we watched that video last year in health. That one about animal cruelty and fast food chains.

April 28 Dear diary, Today was the bio class trip to the zoo. It was incredibly lame and we had to answer questions about the different animals and crap like that. But the most wonderful thing happened, he was in my group! I spent the whole day with him and he talked to me. None of his friends were in our group, so he hung out with ME. I helped him answer his questions at the end. And the best part is he sat with me on the bus ride back to the school. He sat with me! I hope I didn't make a fool of myself, I hope I didn't weird him out.

April 29 Dear diary, New seating arrangement in math class. I swear the math teacher wants me to never be able to focus on math again. HE sits right next to me now. If I haven't said before the desks are in rows of 2, then 3,and then 2 again. I now sit next to him in a pair of desks right by the door. He smiled and said he was "happy with this arrangement". He's happy with this arrangement, he's happy sitting next to me!

April 30 Dear diary, We talked all math today. Neither of us got any of the questions done, we only talked about the Marvel Cinematic Universe compared to the Marvel Comic Universe, and a bunch of other superhero things. He knows so much about all of it. He's such a giant dork, he's so perfect.

May 4 Dear diary, He asked me to hang out with him and his friends at lunch! He asked me and I did and his friends were actually really nice and he tried to teach me how to play Magic: the Gathering and I sucked but he thought it was funny and he laughed and oh his laugh is so perfect. When the bell rang and I ran off so I wouldn't be late for class he called out "May the fourth be with you!" Huge nerd.

May 6 Dear diary, We've been hanging out for a few days now and today he hung with my friends and I. He said my friends were cool. Isn't that by extension saying I'm cool? I think it is. I also think I may be falling in love with him. But I barely know him! I don't know.

May 7 Dear diary, He asked me to go paint balling with him and his friends this weekend, on Saturday. Or well I think it's paintball. He called it Ground Assault and said he'd teach me how to play and provide all the equipment. His friend's uncle owns the place and I looked it up online and it looks like paintball. I said yes, of course, but warned him that I'll suck, I'm not a sporty person. He laughed and said "me neither".

May 8 Dear diary, He explained how it works, it is paintball but you're divided into armies, each army has a commander who stays in the tower with a walkie talkie and gives out commands. The objective of the game is to seize the other army's tower by launching a ground assault. Apparently it's based off an old computer game where you could either do sea, air, or ground assaults to seize your opponent's base. I'm really excited it sounds super fun!

May 9 Dear diary, Oh man oh man oh man! That was so fun. He was the commander of the army I was on, we had our asses handed to us on a silver platter but man it was fun. I was the only person on my team (blue team) who got to the red tower but there were too many guards, I couldn't get in. By the time I had an opening I had to run back to try to defend our tower. He's such a good commander though, his instructions were clear and everyone listened, we just needed a more defensive strategy I think. We're gonna play again next week.

May 23 We won today! Finally! It's totally because he listened to my strategy, I said we needed to keep three behind instead of two and he seemed doubtful but it worked! The third person hid in the bushes and on his command they jumped out and bam! Got all the intruders which then made the red commander call his defenders to our tower assuming we were all there in order to have defeat the attackers. But nope I was waiting and I got my chance and I ran in and I flicked the switch that means the tower was seized! We've been having strategy discussions every math class but this strategy just came to me last night and I'm so glad he listened or else we would've lost like the last two weeks. Apparently it's a guy named Nathan's turn to be commander next week so he'll be down on the field with me.

May 30 Dear diary, I don't know what's going on. I’m glad I had you in my bag. Everything's wrong. We're hiding right now. There's someone outside, I can hear their footsteps. We were playing Ground Assault like every Saturday. This time Nathan was commander and he sucked, our team was a mess. I didn't care though, I was in the woods with him and we were on a mission to get to their tower without getting caught. Surveillance like I usually do. We could just see their tower and we were counting numbers when there was a weird noise. The air turned stale and tasted of copper, a low rumbling was everywhere and yet I think it wasn't actually there. He looked at me and I knew he could hear it too, something primal twisted in my gut and I glanced at the tower, no one there seemed to notice but we knew something was horribly wrong. Before I even knew what happened he was running forward towards the tower, shouting something. But it was too late, the black smoke that had started rising from the back of the tower told me I was right in my feeling of something being wrong and I ran. The roots grabbed at my ankles and the paintball gear made it hard to run but I managed to carry myself a good distance aways before I turned back and saw only the black smoke creeping through the trees. I felt it before I saw it, a shockwave the knocked me off of my feet, the heavy paintball gear making my fall even harder. Then the sound, a horrible, single note that echoed over and over through the smoky forest. I knew before I could see the flames and feel the heat that the old propane tank that powered the tower had exploded. I cried his name and stumbled through the trees back towards the red tower, when I entered the clearing where the tower now lay as rubble, I thought for sure he was dead. I was numb as I walked through the carnage looking at the faces of each person, each burnt and maimed body that I passed. These were all people I knew, though I couldn't recognize some. None of them moved. He wasn't anywhere to be found, none of the bodies looked at all like him. I'd recognize his features, no matter how damaged. I soon gave up and something took over as I began to drag everyone away from the still burning remains of the wooden tower. Body after body, it didn't even occur to me that there were far too many to be just the people we played with. Eventually I had the bodies lined in two rows at the edge of the woods across the clearing. I still hadn't found him, I couldn't understand why help hadn't arrived yet. A sound in the bushes caught my attention, it sounded like a moan. Someone could've been thrown back by the blast. It was him, oh it was glorious to find him behind those bushes. I checked him over for visible injuries, the only one I could find was on his right arm. It was bent at an odd angle, too high up for it to be his elbow. When I moved his arm slightly he winced in pain. The sight was horrifying, his bone stuck up out of his upper arm, just a little ways above his elbow. I was on autopilot and couldn't even hear my own voice as I told him what I was going to do. Retrieving some undamaged cloth off of one of the bodies I pushed the bone in hard as I had been told to do in first aid. I think. I quickly tied the cloth around his arm as tight as I could and it didn't seem to bleed for too long after that. We decided to head back to the main building and make sure help was on its way. I helped him up and we walked together, with him leaning on me because of some pain in one of his legs. We walked and walked and walked. The main building seemed to have disappeared, so did the paths. Nothing seemed right. It still doesn't seem right. Eventually we found our way here and since then we've been hiding, scared and confused. The footsteps outside continue like someone is pacing, I think I can hear them mumbling to themselves. He's looking at me strangely now for writing in this, I think he wants to see who's outside but I'd have to do it. He's in so much pain, his arm looks a strange colour. It's been hours and now it doesn't seem like help is coming. God, if you exist, please help us.

May 31, morning Dear diary, Last night I went to see who was outside, it was a woman. She quickly invited us to follow her and explained that she had been pacing because she didn't know how to invite us to come with her. Everything in my body had a bad feeling about this but I was wrong. It's wonderful here. They've treated us like royalty, we are their special guests. His arm is getting worse though and they don't know what to do. Something is... Different about these people. They don't know anything about first aid and they didn't know what I meant by dead bodies when I explained what happened at the tower. Some part of me wants to say they aren't human but that would be stupid, though I guess it would only be just as stupid as the fact that we appear to be in an entirely different world. Nothing is right and something is bugging me a lot I just don't know what it is.

May 31, evening Dear diary, A wonderful feast and celebration just happened to honour us as their guests. The food was delicious, I don't know what I was so concerned about.

June 4 Dear diary, We've been here for a little while now, I had trouble remembering the date. Everything is perfect. I haven't seen him since the feast but I trust that he's totally ok. I know I am and he's too perfect for anything bad to happen.

Dear diary, I don't know what day it is anymore, and frankly I don't care! Everything is perfect. I danced all night. Everything is perfect. They gave me some pretty, new clothes that feel really nice. Everything is perfect. I'm looking at the stars right now and everything is perfect.

Dear diary, I think I saw him today, I was down trying to steal some food from the kitchens with my friends. It looked like him hiding at the end of a hallway. Why was he hiding? Everything is perfect here.

Dear diary, Something's in my room! I was sleeping and having wonderful dreams but I woke because there was a strange sound. Must of been one of the animals that live here in the village though, no one could get in here and why would they want to? Everyone has everything they could ever want here, everything is perfect!

Dear diary, I was wading in the stream and someone caught the corner of my eye. I ran to catch up with them and see who it was. Why were they running? Where did they go? Why would they want to be anywhere but here? Everything is perfect here.

Dear diary, It's been awhile since I wrote in you last. A fair season has passed and now the leaves are changing colours. I can't remember how long ago I came here to this perfect place. I think I lived somewhere else before. Flipping back through the pages of this thing I've always called a diary it would appear that something happened to me. But how could anything happen in a world so perfect? I don't like the words I used before in this book. Violence and death and pain, what are these things? I feel I should know... Who is this "he" I was infatuated with? I think I'm forgetting something important.

Dear diary, Everything is perfect, I must tell myself, everything is perfect. My world is falling apart at the seams. A kitchen boy with a missing arm approached me today, he had beautiful eyes but he told me nasty things. He said I must run away with him! I think he may be the boy that I talked of far earlier in this book. Run away? Why would I do something so foolish? It's the dead of winter and this random kitchen boy is telling me to run away with him!

Dear diary, He approached me again today, he says it is the 31st of December and that we must run tonight. I believe that number and strange word are dates like the ones earlier in this book. Everything is so confusing and I witnessed something today that I should not have seen. It was just after the boy talked to me, I was headed up from the corner kitchens where he had dragged me to talk, I heard voices. One of these voices was unmistakably the voice of the old, fat man who runs the village. The voices came from in the main kitchens where they were preparing lunch for everyone. The man demanded that more of something be placed in the stew. When the kitchen lady tried to say that they shouldn't, he yelled at her! He demanded again that they put more of it, what he referred to as the agent, in the stew. He said that a few people have woken up thanks to "that rogue kitchen boy". I'm terribly confused by everything.

Dear diary, It is still the same day I think, but the sun has set and everything is dark. I'm crouching currently in the bushes waiting to make the stupidest decision in my life. I'm going to leave this not so perfect, perfect village with a strange kitchen boy who's missing a limb. Oh what happened to the common sense I had? I suppose my common sense was lost when I overheard another conversation at supper. I sat close to the kitchen and only half attempted conversation with those around me, I was still confused and of course I was writing in this. A kitchen lady asked someone I couldn't see from where I was a strange question. The question was "Why that one specifically?" And the response from the person I couldn't see was "the ones like that have the highest risk, that's why we place someone to follow them. That one specifically has happened to notice the stalker several times recently." My immediate question was what's a stalker but some part of my brain quickly made the connection that it's a person who follows someone. Who was being followed? A thousand questions and confusions and doubts continued through my head as I ate. By the time I finished my food they were gone and everything seemed perfect again. That's how I knew something was wrong and that's why I'm here. I think I'm that one the kitchen lady and other person were talking about.

Dear diary, It is my first day ever in my life that I am on the run. The boy met me soon after I stopped writing in here last night, when he noticed it tucked into my shirt he laughed a little and said it was good that I was still writing in here. We left quickly, staying in the shadows until we were well out of the village. We kept going until the sun rose and now we are hiding out in a small cave until night falls again.

January 3 Dear diary, I've officially been on the run for three days and I'm starting to remember things. I read the pages earlier in this book and I understand things now. I remember things. I realize now how false the perfectness of that village was and I'm chilled to the bone that I couldn't recognize it.

January 5 Dear diary, I remember so much now, and I am afraid. I witnessed some horrible things in that village. I watched someone get hanged and thought it was humorous, I watched people beat each other to death and thought it was fun! I hate to imagine all those poor souls being drugged into believing it was perfection... Being drugged into forgetting who they are. What was that? There was a noise outside, he's asleep next to me, please let it be an animal.

January 8 Dear diary, I can't find him, I can't believe I found you. I'm hiding the best that I can while still trying to find him. That noise I heard, it was my stalker from the village and we were defenceless. We easily got dragged back here to the village but I managed to twist away and get lost in the crowds until I worked my here. This endless maze of kitchens and halls makes it perfect to never be found. God that stupid word, nothing is ever perfect! It makes it Easy to never be found.

January 9 Dear diary, I saw him at lunch, if only I could get to him. I can see the dazed look on his face, he's starting to look like all the others already. He's starting to look happy in this hell hole.

January 10 Dear diary, I discovered something in my wandering. I found a library full of old and huge books. I'm now hiding in a back corner and I've been reading, researching. I think I found out what brought us to this place, this alternate dimension, parallel world, whatever it is. And I think I found out how to get us home, I just don't know if I can do it. I know how to do it, I know I need to do it, I think it may send at least some others back to their homes, but I don't know if I can be responsible for that.

January 12 Dear diary, He looked at me today. His eyes are the only thing in this place that come close to perfect. I've decided I must do it, for him. I don't know how I feel but I think it may be love. I think I love this boy I hardly know, yet know so well. I still don't remember everything about before, about where we're from, but I do know that I have to save him. He matters above all else.

So you see? Though I cannot even remember your name, you are all my diary is about. You are all I care about and that is why I must do it. I'm so sorry I had to leave you with only this, only a beat up diary with pages marked for you to read. But I have to do it now, I hope this works. Please, understand why I'm doing this. Please don't hate me, I know you hate violence but it's the only way. What started with flames and death must end with flames and death. At lunch today, no matter how confused you are, run. Okay? Just run, but not away. When you see those flames do just as you did the first time and run to help. You will make it home, and sending you there will be the last thing I do. Goodbye perfect boy, enjoy the life I'm giving to you.

[maczazind]

Film Diary 2017: May, June, and July AKA "The Combined Post Because I Got Lazy"

For the first time this year, I unfortunately missed my window in terms of keeping up with these monthly entries. A huge handful of birthdays, stress and even an ankle injury all seem to be the contributing factors that ultimately led to me combining both the May, June and July posts. So now, you’re getting three for the price of one! The summer movie season is coming to a close soon and with it has come some clear winners and disappointments. Additionally, the summer season has led to many movie marathons popping up in deep cable as the holidays come and go. Which have I seen, and what did I think? Read on to find out…

As always, the following reflects MY OWN OPINION. If you’d like to see these entries in full as the year progresses, each installment is given the tag “Film Diary 2017” so feel free to follow along!

Each entry includes how every feature was primarily seen and an asterisk which denotes that viewing was the first time I’ve seen that movie in its entirety, despite possibly having seen pieces of the film previously or having a general knowledge of it. Numbering reflects the year’s overall total, not the monthly total.

55) May 5th: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2* - Theater; Kicking off the blockbuster season, I have to admit there was a piece of myself deep down that was worried about the Guardians sequel. The trailers presented plenty of music, chemistry and wit that I loved from the first film while a lack of a clear antagonist left much to be desired. And this concerned me because while the original is one of my top three features of the entire MCU thus far, it did have some problems with Ronan & it’s closing climax that I still take I stride due to everything else it does damn well. Without getting into spoilers, Guardians 2 thankfully doesn’t go the route of Iron Man 2 or Thor: The Dark World and recaptures the magic by expanding upon the elements of the first. That’s not to say it’s perfect; the first act while fun feels a bit lost in its direction. There’s certainly a tug & pull between the one-liners and the emotion it tries to dish out, sometimes struggling to keep that balance, but finds a solid grip for sure. It was to my delight that a decent-sized bulk of previously released scenes arrive in the first half hour, allowing you to really enter into the true meat of the film. The main villain that is presented is perhaps the most memorable in years for the MCU; the emotional beats that are hit, especially in the second half, may be the most heartstring pulling of the entire cinematic universe in recent memory. Director James Gunn very much goes for a more personal story in regards to Star-Lord and in doing so seeks a similar story for the entire team, playing on the theme of family between Gamora/Nebula, briefly tackling Drax’s underlying origins once more, and even the dynamic within the team itself most notably between Rocket/Quill. And it’s there I feel the sequel reaches the same placement of its predecessor. It takes the elements I loved from the first and explores certain aspects as well to beautifully compliment it and present a memorable outing I can still think back to weeks after leaving the theater.

56) May 12th: The Powerpuff Girls Movie - TV (On Demand); Released circa 2002 and commentary regarding the recent reboot aside, this animated feature has interesting placement in my book. The original series holds a special nostalgic place for myself as it was easily a cartoon that took its bubbly exterior and appealed to everyone through its action, comedy, characters and exceptional visual direction. The film is a bit of a different story, as I really only remember seeing it once after renting it from the video store. Now on its 15th anniversary, bumbling through on demand I came across its availability and decided to dive head first into the mystery of why it never left a lasting impression. In many respects, there are ways the movie works well. The amped up visuals and entire final third act battle with Mojo Jojo are among the highlights, including the girls’ fish out of water story that is absolutely a different side to the main trio given their overwhelming acceptance by the people of Townsville in the series. But the film in many ways I think serves better as an expansion of the series rather than a standalone outing. This is very much an origins tale of The Girls’ unique creation and integration into Townsville; but there are certain pieces of the film, especially Mojo Jojo’s own origin story, that resonate more if you’ve seen the show’s expansion of these elements. Furthermore, the movie somewhat struggles with some identity: the first act is the perspective of The Professor to the entire creation of the title characters, before changing to The Girls’ POV as Professor is thrown into jail for the second act and taking a sharp left turn alongside it. With the origins skeleton in mind, its acceptable that The Girls aren’t the hero team viewers knew and loved just yet either; though to see them unknowingly destroy the city they’ve protected so many times before can be a bit jarring. They don’t quite accept their role of heroes until well into the third act and that’s when things start to click into familiar territory. Finally, the film is a lot darker than I remembered compared to the balance the series conveyed. It sets aside the status quo of the small screen for something uncharted and there are times it does feel like a mixed bag of trying to tell a more serious side of The Girls’ history with the fun elements they’ve presented before. And that’s exactly how I walked away from this: mixed. I think if you’re a fan of the original series you can tackle this no problem with the mindset of it simply growing on what you already know. But this format may not leave the best first impression for those too young or too old to experience the wonder that is this franchise.

57) May 17th: The Founder* - DVD (Rental - Library); After it had gained some awards season buzz only to seemingly be snubbed out of the year’s annual ceremonies, I sincerely wondered if The Founder failed to live up to the hype it built in its early marketing. And though it does have problems, the biopic about McDonald’s transformation to a small California eatery to the global dominator it is today surprised me by how strong of an immensely intriguing tale it is. Michael Keaton’s Ray Croc plays a central protagonist that is flawed yet engrossing in his ruthless business spirit. Though this is very much Croc’s tale on how he went from a struggling salesman to the man responsible for expanding the golden arches into a worldwide phenom, his story doesn’t come without some chapters that drag. His life at home, what little we see of it, is introduced with a clear road of what’s to come and in turn says not to get too invested. Because of this, it becomes a bit of a hassle when the minor subplot is dragged out for a decent portion of the movie. But the intrigue of the plot and where the film really shines is the focus on the McDonald brothers and their relationship with Croc as time goes on. The brothers had me hooked the second they laid out their small business origins story to Ray and from there it just becomes a clash of morals, standards, quality and money all at the same time as we see two different types of men fight over their ideals. And it’s that piece of the film that really drives it from beginning to end, even throughout various meetings with potential new employees and lawyers. If you’re interested in seeing a different side to the largest fast food company in the world prior to the common status of the restaurants in modern times, this is definitely one to give a watch to.

58) May 18th: Hidden Figures* - DVD (Rental - Library); Moving on to another highly buzzed about awards contender, Hidden Figures hit a very similar sweet spot for me. It tells a very unrecognized and important story regarding three highly influential woman to NASA in the midst of the space race. Taraji P. Henson’s central role of Katherine Goble Johnson is easily the one that shines the brightest and I can now see why many were upset over her snub at the Academy Awards. Likewise, Octavia Spencer’s Dorothy Vaughan and Janelle Monáe’s Mary Jackson showcase their incredible individual stories of intelligence as well, while driving home a strong tale about both race and gender equality that transcends its setting. It absolutely lives up to the hype and deserves to be seen if you haven’t already.

59) May 20th: Ghostbusters: Answer The Call* - DVD (Rental - Library); There are a handful of reasons why I decided to check out this reboot months after it’s release. For one, the original wasn’t quite the icon of my childhood that everyone else tended to hold up on a pedestal, though I do still regard the film as an incredibly well done and fun classic. For another note, I’m not as won over on director Paul Feig as others have been. Following the highly hyped Bridesmaids, I’d finally seen it on Blu-Ray and thought it was only okay but went on to enjoy follow-up efforts such as The Heat and Spy. Combining these two elements and the atmosphere surrounding the perception of Ghostbusters ultimately led myself towards a timid response. But now that I’ve finally seen it, I can say my reaction is still dishesrtening. The first act, in my eyes, is where the film holds most of its problems. It’s very much a Feig film in its dialogue and therein lies an issue in not deciding what kind of film it wants to be - the script in the beginning paints a more joke-filled affair that is a stark contrast to the paranormal adventure elements it’s attempting to set up. So for the first act, it’s a movie that through its comedy almost doesn’t want to take itself seriously with extremely forced comedic dialogue despite the fact that it needs you to consider it serious for the premise to really work. As the film goes on, the more over the top comedic elements settle down to embrace the growing action and at times finally find a decent balance between the two. It’s there that the film can actually be fun and leave a better impression. But it’s the fact that it takes so long to get to that balance that can be the troubling part. The villain doesn’t quite live up to measure either, trading in mythology of a single supernatural heavy hitter for a wave of various CGI beings that create chaos. That chaos does lead to an entertaining climax, but perhaps could have been more impactful with a stronger antagonist at the center of the action. In the end, I didn’t necessarily hate the reboot as it decides it wants to warm up the longer it continues. However, it’s far from the optimistic fresh start I was hoping it could’ve been. I now understand the divided response and why any plans of a direct sequel have been incredibly quiet.

60) Interstellar* - On Demand (Epix); Another one I put off for personal reasons. Five years ago, The Dark Knight Rises arrived and my best friends can tell you how frustrated I was toward the third act in which a number of extremely questionable choices are made. When I had seen in 2014 that Interstellar seemed to also divide opinions, I decided to put it off until now. However, this one ends on a more positive note for me as I enjoyed it for the most part. Granted it didn’t reach a transcendent level in its plot nor approach to the ideas it outs forth, but there were still a handful of concepts I found intriguing. Cooper’s devotion to his family is certainly a driving force throughout the film and the introduction of a massive difference in how time passes by in the other galaxy developed a type of running clock in my head. I was hopeful for a reunion because it was in many ways Cooper’s singular ideal beneath his responsibility to the expedition that helped flesh him out and give the sci-fi adventure some personal stakes. It doesn’t necessarily excuse some of the more heavy handed stuff nor the nearly three hour runtime that does feel quite a bit taxing and gives no excuse for an ending that feels rushed. And perhaps I benefited from various details being out there online for myself so that I wasn’t so taken aback by their presentation. Still, the film remained on good standing for myself. For all the homages to Kubrick’s 2001 and the various interesting concepts presented that the film’s sci-fi premise hinge on, Interstellar was a solid watch though one that I’m not exactly clamoring to run out and add to my Blu-Ray shelf.

61) May 25th: Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them* - DVD (Rental - Library); Upon the release of the first expanded story for The Wizarding World, many Harry Potter fans were able to experience a film set in the universe that was not a direct adaptation of its source material. However for myself, I managed to fall onto the traditional route and read the book before the movie as I received the official scripted book release for Christmas. So suffice to say this reaction to the film won’t be too detailed because I don’t have much of a response - there were no major surprises as I knew what was exactly in store. All that was really left was to see how it translated into a performance setting and it went well. Everyone served their roles well; I really think the audience vehicle that is Jacob, a non-magical human introduced to everything, is the scene stealer and it becomes apparent towards a truly emotional conclusion for him. It’s a solid foundation to build upon to really delve into some of the mythology from the other books, especially Grindelwald, Dumbledore and earlier years of Hogwarts, along with this new unexplored section of the universe. I can’t help but wonder if I would have been more enthusiastic towards the film if I had experienced it prior to the book. Still, I’m still very interested in how the rest of this expansion unfolds as future installments arrive.

62) May 27th: Bleed For This* - DVD (Rental - Library); Last month, after giving a sour response to Hands of Stone, I was very hesitant to dive into another boxing biopic despite this outing being centered in an area I originated from. Bleed for This is yet another film of the genre that failed to make waves last year and seemed to disappear without a trace despite yet again having some notable names attached to it, such as Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhart and Katey Segal. Thankfully, though, this outing worked out much better than the aforementioned as it turns out Bleed For This is a solid entry. The ego and eccentric personality displayed by Teller here keeps things always entertaining, while the central story never falls into an overwhelming pit of cliché. Teller and Eckhart have great chemistry, both giving impressive performances, while the addition of Vinny’s family into his career adds some intrigue as profession and blood clash. Definitely a movie worth checking out.

63) Brooklyn* - DVD (Rental - Library); A sweet, endearing love story that at times is as comical as it is dramatic. Exploring not just immigration but the universal feelings of coming of age, friendship, love, torn between family & your own individual life and so very much more, I found myself falling deeper into the film’s undeniable charm the longer it went on. Saoirse Ronan’s performance is a strong one, while Emory Cohen shines as one of her two love interests. I’m not typically one to embrace stories that are more romantic in nature, yet director John Crowley and writer Nick Hornby find ways in order to balance that out by focusing on Eilis’ struggles that her move to America brings both socially and emotionally. One of the more fondly remembered entries of the year for me.

64) May 29th: Rise of The Planet of the Apes - Blu-Ray; In preparation for the upcoming sequel War For The Planet Of The Apes, I figured it was time to rewatch the two previous Cesar entries in the franchise which I hadn’t seen in a good while. First up is 2011’s surprise Summer smash Rise and boy oh boy did I forget how much I love this prequel. I always tend to hold its successor Dawn to a higher stander for various reasons (see below), but somewhere along the way I forgot what Dawn does so damn right. The core relationship between Will & Caesar, Will’s motivation behind the central drug, the nods to the original story that this entry is building towards, the visual storytelling that director Rupert Wyatt conveys for most of the apes’ storyline, the third act that sucks you in the second Caesar’s intelligence reaches a new level from the perspective of the human characters; I could go on and on. Though there is more of an emphasis on the human element in this film, it’s both necessary and understandable in a handful of ways. The humans are the dominant ones at this point and time so its natural they play a larger role, especially in the creation of the Apes’ advanced evolution. At the same time, it allows Caesar to shine that much brighter as a scene stealer with Andy Serkis just knocking it out of the park while the story portrays this wonderful balance of origin story and establishing Caesar as a complex protagonist, very much a subject of both sides of the primary man vs. ape conflict. Again, I feel since Matt Reeves has done a beautiful job in taking over the franchise from Wyatt, the first installment tends to be remembered more as a pleasant surprise with the promise of more to come. Rewatching it though, it is a damn good foundation that allowed Reeves to certainly elevate the material in the sequel and yet still stands strong on its own right as the film to revive the series in a spectacular fashion.

65) Dawn of The Planet of the Apes - Blu-Ray; To continue the conversation, Dawn from Reeves successfully elevates the predecessor by not only going bigger in terms of the central conflict with Apes and humans but also more personal by delving into the differences of the characters as well. Koba, introduced in the last movie, comes from a different side of the humans than Caesar did and both operate separately in terms of their empathy for the humans who are slowly dwindling out. So while the humans are very much in survival mode and not ready to face the apes, whom they blame for the massive outbreak that led to the deaths of many, we see the unified Apes having a civil war of sorts as loyalties are torn between the two leaders. And it’s that three sided conflict that finds a handful of ways to be complex, introspective & thrilling. I’m willing to admit that upon rewatching, Dawn did not hit me as strong as it did the first time; perhaps because most of the shock or unpredictability I found in that first viewing was more cemented now. However, it still does not rob the awe and power from the film as both an incredible sequel and one of the best of the entire franchise.

66) June 3rd: She’s All That - TV (Freeform - DVR); Listen, I was in the mood for a nostalgic teen movie flashback. A classic for many, admittedly She’s All That was never my favorite. And now I still see why. For all the clichés it still has, it’s not to say it isn’t enjoyable. But perhaps I’ve just seen its parody Not Another Teen Movie far too many times to take this seriously. Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachel Leigh Cook still standout portraying strong characters. I couldn’t help but feel that the climax of the entire film was extremely rushed and quickly resolved. There are some teen genre films I turn to in fleeting moments of comfort seeking and again this has never been one of them. After rewatching, let’s just say it didn’t win a spot.

67) June 4th: Die Hard With A Vengeance* - TV (IFC - DVR); The ONLY installment in the Die Hard franchise I had not seen in full. Though I feel as if Die Hard 2 helped recapture the “confined to one place” mentality of the original, Vengeance took the series in an entirely different direction by expanding that scope. And while I don’t necessarily admire the change up, it does lead to a more compelling villain than the second installment. Furthermore, Zeus is a perfect partner to McClane and both characters play off each other well. The third act climax is just okay and I do in fact prefer the darker yet more personal alternate ending, which you can find with just a quick Youtube search. Vengeance, though, is a solid entry in a series that holds strong when compared to the latest release a few years ago.

68) June 7th: Wonder Woman* - Theater; Gosh. What can I say about Wonder Woman that hasn’t been said already? Among the three high profiles entries in the genre this season, easily my favorite superhero film of the summer. It’s a weird comparison, but I walked out of the latest DCEU entry feeling as if Diana is now the Superman of this cinematic universe. What I mean by that is at the conclusion of her first ever solo feature, the title hero comes off as such a wonderful beacon of strength, power, hope and resilience that firmly cements her as a major force moving forward in this cinematic universe. From the intriguing origin story packed with badass characters, to the climactic final battle, Wonder Woman not only presents a superhero film that is entertaining, funny when it needs to be, heartbreaking when it calls for it and so many other things, but it takes the time to both explore and enforce what it means to be a hero. Not only do we get to connect with nearly every supporting character along the way of Diana’s journey, we see what they mean to her and her heroic philosophy the more the story goes on. And it’s that infectious passion & care about all of the elements around Diana that easily leaps off the screen and in turn makes you care about them; Ares’ downfall is important to her, so you care about her quest to stop him; protecting humans at various turns, especially including No Man’s Land, means something to her and in turn we care about the missions at hand. Take this tale, put it in the hands of director Patty Jenkins who infuses the film with a wonderful eye even down to a differential in color treatment in key scenes to distinguish the mood, and you get easily the best entry in the DCEU by a long shot. One of my favorites of the year thus far for sure.

69) June 14th: The Simpsons Movie - Blu-Ray; Up until about a year ago, I had never owned the theatrical adventure of the long-running iconic television family. I saw the film upon its theatrical release and really remember loving it for multiple reasons. As someone who fell in love with The Simpsons through a Season 2 box set and the wide variety of reruns that would air every weeknight after homework but before dinner, the movie struck a chord as I saw a slight elevation of the classic formula with better animation, a few less censorship restrictions and even some momentous payoff (looking at you, Springfield Gorge jump). My little step-sister has finally reached Simpsons-mania age and I finally bought the film on Blu-Ray so that she could watch it. Rewatching it nearly a decade later from my aforementioned first viewing, it’s still entertaining and even easier to see the raunchier jokes that easily went over my sister’s head. Filled with wit, heart and enough deviation from the typical formula to keep it a memorable stand-out adventure for the franchise, it definitely tends to hold up in my eyes.

70) June 18th: The Magnificent Seven (2016)* - TV (On Demand - Epix); I am by no means your average fan of the western genre, but that’s not to say I don’t like westerns. Having never seen the original outing, I thought that perhaps this remake may fare better with me without a template to expect anything from. Furthermore, the star-studded cast that included Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'onofrio and more intrigued as to how exactly they would come across. The movie starts off strong enough with a gripping introduction to our villain that really sets up the main conflict ahead. However, it’s the long process of assembling the team, giving them all their own introduction and seeing how they gel within the growing number of men that led to a dragging period that I simply could not recover from. Furthermore, the main villain who is responsible for the issue at hand simply disappears during this stretch, never to be seen until the third act climax. That climactic battle is certainly something to behold, but it’s the journey to get to it that just takes too damn long as loses momentum. And it’s there that the film ultimately lost me, leaving me with a sour taste. If there was one silver lining, though, it’s that had the remake been a larger hit I would’ve loved to see a spinoff starring the scene stealing duo of Ethan Hawke and Byung-hun Lee.

71) June 19th: The Edge of Seventeen* - DVD (Rental - Library); This new spin on the classic teen movie format has been on my radar since the first trailer was released last summer. Then, it seemingly arrived, received its buzz, and then vanished. Now months later I’ve finally watched the latest member of the genre and I have to say I found it entertaining. That’s not to say there isn’t some major predictability to it, especially concerning the main love interest, but elements introduced are used to ground the entire story in a comical way that ultimately works. The key feat is making sure this is pulled off is through casting and Hailee Steinfeld absolutely shines in the lead role of Nadine. She’s able to pull off the complex mix of awkward, funny, self-loathing, analytical, heartbroken and more at various points throughout that it makes for a wildly unpredictable ride as she volleys between opening up & emotionally deflecting. The supporting cast works around her as they all click well with Steinfeld, especially Woody Harrelson’s eccentric teacher, but perhaps the breakout is the endearing, dorky, hopelessly romantic performance by Hayden Szeto as Erwin. Time will tell if this stands next to other teen classics, but thankfully it stands strong as writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig presents a quirky, grounded and relatable coming-of-age tale.

72) June 23rd: The Purge* - TV (DVR - FX); A franchise that’s been around for a little bit now, I’ve never experienced an entry in its entirety. Some shots from cable here, a commercial there, youtube videos showcasing the series’ place at Universal Studios during Halloween over here. So, I finally decided to give the premiere chapter a try. And it was just okay. The setting and rules regarding it are the most interesting part. The rest is a somewhat bland thriller filled with jump scares, most of which includes a small vendetta elevated that you can see coming from awhile away thanks to the set up. Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey and Adelaide Kane do their best with what their given, but really the only one who steals the show is Rhys Wakefield as the Purge Leader who doesn’t get nearly enough screentime in all his creepy glory. But, yeah. It was fine enough. I’ve heard the sequels are better as it doesn’t confine us to one location, and they do in fact feature continuing characters unconnected to this one. I’m not exactly rushing out to see them after this, though.

73) June 27th: The Quick And The Dead (1995)* - TV (DVR - Sundance); Talk about hitting me out of nowhere. Just days after a sour modern western experience, I managed to come across this film in my cable guide, which I’d never heard of. My jaw dropped when I saw the cast included Sharon Stone, Russell Crowe, Gene Hackman, Leonardo Dicaprio and more, all directed under one of my favorites Sam Raimi. What resulted is an exciting film filled with plenty of build up, payoff and execution that is a hell of a lot of fun. The set-up of a shootout tournament among these participants, most of whom either have a gimmick to showcase or a past to be revealed, certainly tends to suck you in with how exactly it will ultimately pan out. In addition to this, the idea of these various characters and well known actors pitted against each other is as equally intriguing. In the end, this felt like a unique entry in the genre that though may not be as fleshed out as some would like, is still quite the entertaining hidden gem with fantastic performances from the aforementioned quartet. Seek it out if you have the chance.

74) June 28th: Okja* - Streaming (Netflix); From director Bong Joon-ho, the highly talked about Snowpierecer has been a film I have yet to see despite being on my list for the longest time. This means the newly released Okja is my first impression of Joon-ho and ultimately I walked away liking this unique adventure. It’s perhaps best that the less you know about Okja the better, though I had seen the previously released trailers and still found a story filled with unpredictability. The backdrop of the plot is certainly satirical against a corporate machine and towards the end melts away to emphasize a message which paints the film with an interestingly sharp edge as it contains a rather whimsical and heartfelt tale of friendship. The first act of Okja at times reminded me of a Studio Ghibli film brought to live action through its scope of wonder, while the central bond between Mija & the title creature does feel at times slightly reminiscent of Totoro, Hiccup & Toothless, Lilo & Stitch and others. But it’s that sharp lining that gives it a final punctuation mark that may not only divide some but certainly gives you something to think about long after it’s over.

75) July 5th: Spider-Man - Blu-Ray; In the days leading up to Spider-Man: Homecoming, I found it only fitting that I revisit the web slinger’s past to prepare for his future. First up was his original 2002 debut and the start of the Sam Raimi saga that would unfold for another five years. I’ve found myself firmly in the placement of adoring not only this film but the sequel to follow and rewatching the original resulted in an interesting perspective. I’ve always thought that Spider-Man was incredibly good and usually I’ve managed to find something different in it depending on the mood I’m in. This rewatch, I found myself not drawn to the action (which, through the head bobbing behind masks, kind of struck me with a Power Rangers vibe) but to the well developed characters. Mary Jane is treated far better in this outing than the sequel as a rough home life and headspace of following her dreams blossoms into an arc that continues its logical journey in the next installment. So while she may not be treated well in the sequel, it’s the establishment of her accomplishments that give her an additional silver lining due to the set up here. Harry is both a rich kid and outcast, thus he bonds with Peter over their social status while at the same time leaving you to not believe 100% in the relationship as there is in fact a harder edged lining to it all that does inevitably unfold. Uncle Ben, who is given a bit less screen time than I remember, still packs a punch in the scenes he’s in due to his emotional impact; origin story be damned, Uncle Ben’s death is still at a core of Spider-Man and important. And then there’s Tobey Maguire’s Peter. Memes aside, you have to take into consideration WHY his scenes look that way in context; Tobey plays a Peter that IS believably awkward, nerdy, down on his luck but still with an endearing heart of gold that inspires that heroic nature in a generation of moviegoers. I’m not saying nor excusing all of his scenes over the three films (lord knows there are plenty I can’t defend - Emo Peter dancing, some blank stares, etc.) but its that awkwardness that works to drive home his nerdier qualities, only for his Spider-Man to offer a kind of confidence that comes with a few quips and plenty of excitement-yelling while web slinging. And though the action and special effects may not hold up as well today as they did back then, what made them great still does: the dynamic between our hero & villain, Willem Dafoe’s performance, Danny Elfman’s incredible score, and Sam Raimi’s direction. The relationship between Peter and Norman has always been a highlight of the saga, with Dafoe’s Jekyll/Hyde turn driving home the more despicable aspects that not only work but the complex circumstances surrounding them escalating the entire feud. Elfman’s score equally elevates various moments throughout, creating a memorable musical outing for a superhero film that for the last 15 years has only ever truly been challenged by Hans Zimmer’s The Dark Knight score. When you wrap it all up, Spider-Man struck me much better than I usually tend to think about it. It has its good share of faults; however, for most it should still hold a special place not just because it convinced Hollywood to invest in the comics-to-film boom but because it’s a great template of how to balance the fun, the dramatic and the emotional while exploring the characters on a three dimensional level.

76) July 6th: Spider-Man 2 - Blu-Ray; Now, we move on to the sequel. There’s no question about it, I still love this movie. It’s been one of my favorites since its release and it remains that way to this day. But, it is in no way infallible. Let’s start with the good, and for there I’ll begin with how the film looks. Now I’m not sure if it was the change over of cinematographers from Don Burgess to Bill Pope but on a visual level this has always been important to me. Where Spider-Man at times feels like it’s stylized to seem like a comic come to life, it can clearly feel like actors on a stage or set because of it. Spider-Man 2, though, drastically dials that back and nearly everything feels blended into a more realistic looking New York, especially including the action. The action is much more CGI in nature compared to the first, but ditches that “Power Ranger” problem I had mentioned because of it. Storywise, Spider-Man 2 hits so many high notes in my opinion. We get to see Peter truly struggle with his responsibility and what he desires. It’s a well crafted balancing act that not only makes our main character sympathetic but drives most of Peter’s plot in the film to an incredible degree. Nearly every relationship he shares with a character benefits from this focus and it really strengthens even the smallest interaction between our hero and supporting players. You feel for him; you hurt for him; and when it comes down to it, you understand and connect with him. Further adding to the character count that transcends the screen, Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius aka Doc Ock. On some level, there is no possible way that Doc Ock was going to top the personal heights set by Green Goblin in the last film but damn does it find a way to bring it close. They follow a similar template for sure; both men who connect with Peter and are seen as mentors before a freak accident causes them to become villains but shown they’re more so being controlled by their creations. But dammit if it doesn’t work. And with Ock, Raimi crafts some of the most memorable scenes of his saga (besides the upside down kiss, of course): the horror-like hospital scene and the train rescue, the latter of which still stands strong as perhaps the best action scene in any Spider-Man movie. As I said though, the film is not perfect. It’s biggest fault has to be Mary Jane. While an argument could be made that watching the Raimi films back to back brings her to a logical next step, Mary Jane is nothing more than simply a goal to get in this sequel. Most of the romantic back and forth between Peter, Mary Jane and her new fiancée comes across as unnecessary, though Raimi admirably never portrays her fiancée as an antagonist as he really is not a cliché. And while this may light a fire under Peter’s ass, motivating him and some decisions going forward, it doesn’t help flesh out Mary Jane other than making her mostly dependent on Peter. It runs its course, and the emotion between the two does reach a high point, but it’s still a blemish. Besides that, though, Spider-Man 2 is still one of the most fun, action packed, entertaining, emotional and complex films Marvel has made and still stands tall against the MCU-era.

77) July 7th: Spider-Man: Homecoming* - Theater; So now that I tackled two of my favorite superhero films of all time, what about the most recent installment in the franchise? This one is a bit trickier. Homecoming, in many ways, had a variety of expectations set about it. Not only is it the title character’s first true adventure in the MCU in a non-supporting capacity, but it’s also Sony’s admission that after 10 years of trying they needed help to get the hero on the right path again. Headed into the movie, my expectations were actually a little low. Despite the glowing consensus that manifested via reviews, I’ve felt like the MCU has reached somewhat of a tonal formula lately and hasn’t knocked me on my ass in amazement since Guardians of the Galaxy. Furthermore, the over reliance on Iron Man in marketing materials soured my hype as I felt it was less Spidey’s movie and more aggressively a team up that would not allow him to stand strong enough on his own. Plus the hinting of an artificial intelligence in his suit only made me a tad bit bitter out of concern they were taking an Iron Man like approach to Spidey as well. However, after seeing the film I can say that it does wind up in the upper-half of my MCU ranking thus far. Homecoming was a fun, largely entertaining coming of age superhero movie that works on a variety of different levels but also has its fair share of problems. Homecoming feels, more or less, like an adaptation similar in line to the television series’ of the past 15 years or so but never brought fully to life on the big screen. Both prior sagas attempted to explore this path but were wildly cut short with graduations occurring and school setting ultimately ditched. With the highs, Tom Holland does come off very likable as Peter Parker attempting to make sense of what his inclusion and path of a superhero ultimately means. With the younger Peter, I do feel there was a lack of emotional maturity and complexity that the Raimi films pulled off so well, opting more for the comedic approach than a tortured one. But at the same time, it’s completely understandable as maturity is definitely lacking in early teenage development. A part of me feels for that emotional edge there should have been an emphasis on Uncle Ben, in any capacity. I know many feel retreading the origins story is tiresome, and I agree - but neglecting the repercussions of Uncle Ben’s death is not. As at least three men call out Aunt May’s attractive looks and even her obliviousness to one of them, it would’ve worked to add some depth to her by showing she’s still not over the death of her husband and how Peter reacts to that. Similarly, Peter and Tony come to odds late in the film where Tony makes a remark about trying to be a father figure, where it could have been absolutely opportune for Peter to outburst how he had one and it didn’t end well. There is an infusion of “great power/great responsibility”, though, as we do openly get to see Peter struggle between what he wants & what he must do on a few different occasions, and it’s absolutely a nice touch. On the opposite to Peter, Michael Keaton is strong as The Vulture and when the two finally share some extended screentime together it’s absolutely electric. The rest of the cast falls into roles of exactly what the comedy calls for. Laura Harrier is certainly your female lead, despite the promotional push making you think that it’s Zendaya. And her Liz is fine; connecting with Peter in certain ways but never amounting to one of Peter’s greatest love interests by any means. Zendaya’s Michelle is one of two puzzle pieces (the other being the post credits scene) that definitely felt like “classic Sony” to me; she shows up what felt like in one minute intervals to quip out a line and then disappear. Admittedly, one of her moments early in the Washington Monument scene is one of the more memorable; but I simply felt she was nothing more than sequel-set-up fodder for now. The action failed to wow me, mostly because literally every major sequence was more-or-less detailed in trailers & tv spots. That’s not to say there weren’t some surprises in tow; just not in the action department. In fact, what I wanted more of is best exampled in a simple moment in the later half that may be my favorite of the entire film: a quieter yet still edge-of-your-seat scene shared between Peter and Adrian that shows brilliantly through visual acting/storytelling a key piece falling into place. It was absolutely incredible to watch. Overall, this was a good foundation to reestablish the Spider-Man universe and gain some new wind in the sails after six solo outings. There needs to be a little bit of tinkering moving forward, but the future looks promising if they can build upon this new take.

78) July 12th: Loving* - DVD (Rental - Library); Another important real-life story brought to the big screen, Loving tells the struggle for the titular couple whose lives are upheaved when law enforcement in their hometown disapproves of their interracial marriage. Though an incredibly slow burn movie, it’s the matter at the center of the film, the couple’s strength despite massive targeting and personal loss that drives the story. I didn’t find it nearly as attention grabbing as various other true-story entries in my journal this year; Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton are solid as the leads; it’s certainly one to discover, though don’t expect this artistic film to strike every note.

79) July 13th: Assassin’s Creed* - DVD (Rental - Library); “You were the chosen one! It was said you would destroy the bad videogame movies, not join them! Bring balance to the genre, not leave it in darkness!” That paraphrased Star Wars quote is pretty much how I felt in 2016. Warcraft and Assassin’s Creed looked to be films that may have finally been what the videogame adaptation genre needed to kickstart a new wave of movies to be adapted. Projects such as Uncharted, The Last Of Us, Bioshock, Halo and countless others could have been finally taken out of film development hell upon a successful streak. Alas, the two tentpoles eyed by hopefuls such as myself failed. And though I haven’t seen nor played the fantasy entry of the duo, I have played & now seen Assassin’s Creed. Despite a promising first act, which attempts not only to intrigue in both the Animus storyline and our main character’s past, everything seems to slam to a halt directly afterwards. The Animus storyline is the only source of action, used as a break from the dull, utilized thrice and does not amount to very much screentime. The film does an admirable job of setting up the key components of the universe so that those unfamiliar with the franchise get the necessary information, but fails to really translate what makes it so popular through a script that’s just alright. In one of the more embarrassing fan service moments mid-Animus action sequence, one of our leads name drops a move from the games with a delivery of awe and I ultimately wound up bursting out with laughter. An attempted good vs. evil conflict brews, all led by a macguffin used previously in the games, though the assisted supporting characters under our lead Cal barely get anything more than a quick introduction and sly line. This all amounts to a climax that not only bleeds into an incredibly quick final scene but a laughably abrupt ending that feels just insulting as a simple set up for a potential sequel. It’s with these feelings of frustration another feature is added to the growing pile of video game movie flops, and now rest our hopes on the Tomb Raider reboot with Alicia Vikander.

80) Power Rangers* - Streaming (Rental - Amazon); This one I owe to Twitter, as one afternoon I decided to crowdsource what movie I was going to rent that evening in an online poll. The winner wound up being Power Rangers, a reboot I initially had no interest in seeing until it gained positive word of mouth from friends when it was in theaters. Having seen it myself, I can definitely say I enjoyed it with some reservations. Easily the strongest aspect of the film is the script’s exploration of the five main characters, making sure they have at least some depth and chemistry with one another. It can be argued that Jason, Kimberly and Billy get more development than Trini or Zack, but certainly each of the five at least get their own moments to shine. If this exploration had been absent, the necessary team aspect wouldn’t have held up nearly as strong as the later half of the movie demands it to be. That being said, there are some impressive moments in deleted scenes that could have also worked wonders in strengthening various bonds and character elements that I’m sad to have seen on the cutting room floor. Beyond the team is where some of the more drastic changes happen that I didn’t quite mind. Elizabeth Banks actually pulls off a solid Rita, with a backstory trait that definitely adds intrigue to her. Zordon definitely comes across as much more than an omnipotent head on a wall; I just wish that there was more detail into what exactly caused the rift in the old Ranger guard, which is established but kept pretty vague in dialogue. As for the action, which is mostly contained into the third act of the film…it was ok but I felt that the computer effects could have used some more time. The best example of my special effects problem is a scene very late in the movie in which there is a tight close up of a traveling Rita that is a mix of practical and green screen but comes off laughably bad. And though this is the worst of the worst, there are other sequences where I simply felt the CGI was floating as opposed to blending into the world - especially the suits, which I felt easily could have been more practical effect than the CGI ones we receive. Then again, I didn’t walk away from this movie thinking about the final zord fight; I walked away thinking about the characters. Power Rangers, though far from perfect, is a movie at its best when establishing characters to care about. While this origins story is a solid foundation that needs a little bit more construction, it’s the hopeful thought of seeing these characters again, their bonds tested not only by something new but by an addition of Tommy, that excites me.

81) July 14th: War For The Planet Of The Apes* - Theater; Continuing my takes on the new Planet of the Apes saga, War arrived as perhaps my most anticipated film of the Summer. With Matt Reeves now slated to step into the directorial chair for the first solo Batman entry in the DCEU, it felt as if there was a growing focus on how exactly this installment of the Caesar story would go. After glowing reviews, I still managed to temper my expectations and go in cold. What I found was a wildly satisfying, exceptional and yet different change of pace adventure in the leader’s story so far. By change, I’m more so referring to a decent portion of the film that sees Caesar and our two most established supporting roles Rocket & Maurice accompanying him on a quest that not only opens up a new side to Caesar but also focuses more on his motivations rather than that of the larger group. It’s here we get to see Caesar struggle not only with his compassion for the humans that has stayed with him for most of his life, but if the absence of that aligns him more with Koba’s mentality. Furthermore, this is ultimately Caesar’s biggest test as a leader of his group not just emotionally but mentally. Woody Harrelson is terrifying as The Colonel, more so than any other primary antagonist opposite of Caesar thus far and easily the greatest of the trio. It’s the extended time together, mostly in the second half, that gives the film it’s true power, heart, and signature moments. On top of all these dynamics, we even receive an interesting subplot that continues to connect these prequel entries to the original films. The special effects this time around are stunning, perhaps the most realistic of the trilogy. The ending wasn’t completely unexpected but fitting. Much like Dawn, I think placement in this entry will ultimately depend on rewatches and after the surprises have ultimately settled in. My gut is that Dawn edges this one out due to the solo diversion of this one being a drastic change; but there’s so much that feels right as a boiling point for Caesar, between being pushed to his limits and facing off with his most menacing villain yet. Reeves delivers another well crafted epic that cements one of the more surprising successes in recent blockbuster history.

82) July 15th: Tomorrowland* - DVD (Rental - Library); Tomorrowland is a film that for the better part of a couple years now I’ve avoided. Gearing up towards the release, I was extremely on board for the Brad Bird directed sci-fi adventure. So much so that I even purchased the official prequel novel that partially detailed the origins of the background organization Plus Ultra. Why I avoided the film, however, was due not only to its mixed reviews & my fear that it would disappoint, but because the road to the theatrical release mostly felt like an empty mystery box approach that left me rather sour on the entire ordeal. Now, I can say that I have seen it and yes I do in fact have some mixed reactions. The first act of Tomorrowland may be the piece I enjoyed quite the most. It’s easily the most focused act of the entire journey, blending the overwhelming theme of optimism in a world of harsh reality with some entertaining introductions to our core cast. The concepts presented offer plenty of mystery to explore as things start to build. The second act, though, is where I felt the film was dragged down. There is a lot of explanation to be had about exactly what is going on, what happened to Frank (which is made more clear but definitely not crystal clear the more that exposition is piled on), and the path to the title location all feel like a very forced prickly road trip with more questions than answers. The third act, pretty much set solely in Tomorrowland, finally weaves our central antagonist back into the fold after an hour and twenty minutes off screen…even though when we were last introduced to him, exactly who he was, where his morality lied, and his exact purpose all remained fuzzy. Still, it at least punctuates the story with an active force instead of ever changing robotic minions. But it’s just not enough. Especially when David Nix’s reasoning behind his motives aren’t truly your traditional evil, as he gives an impassioned and actually quite impressive speech about why he’s simply given up. This all culminates in a final thematic underlining that may feel a bit too much like The Lorax to some to be forgiven. At the same time, it is that message that kind of shined through for me. Sitting through the first act, I was almost convinced this could have been a cheer up movie to watch on the downer days because it has such an infectious spirit. The nods to classic Disney Parks material is equally admirable and certainly adds to the overall atmosphere. It’s just the structure problems that weaken the entire experience despite me coming away from the movie more favorably. I just wish it could have stepped over the pitfalls on the way there.

83) July 18th: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping* - Streaming (HBO Go); In the mood for something funny, I decided to turn towards last year’s The Lonely Island feature film. A heavy satire towards celebrity pop culture and the current method in which musical artists have to market themselves for popularity, I found it entertaining with a few pleasant surprises throughout the mockumentary. It doesn’t quite measure up to the cult heights of the team’s prior outing Hot Rod as the narrative isn’t quite as strong; it nails its core trio well but at the same time you get an idea exactly where the arc of the movie is heading extremely early on. Still, it’s worth a watch when the time is right and if you’re a fan of the group’s previous work.

84) July 21st: Dunkirk* - Theater; As previously stated in this post, it’s been some time since director Christopher Nolan is won me over completely. And if I’m being honest, I had very little enthusiasm towards actively going to see Dunkirk, despite the glowing reviews in the days prior. Alas, the decision to go see the war movie was made on a whim combined with the overwhelming temperatures. However, I’m extremely happy to say that Dunkirk was an amazing film in my eyes that quickly catapulted towards the top of my yearly ranking. What I say fro here on out will be rather bare bones because I truly believe the less you know going in, the better. Nolan presents a real life story but done in a unique narrative style that easily separates Dunkirk from the rest of the genre. A decent deal of the film is presented through visual storytelling as opposed to dialogue spelling things completely out and it’s truly a sight to see as you still connect with these various characters through their quest to survive by whatever means necessary. Furthermore, the inner Hitchcock suspense fan in me is absolutely giddy as Dunkirk has a great amount of edge-of-your-seat tense moments that are elevated even more so by Hans Zimmer’s score that works so complimentary to what you’re witnessing. It’s this tension that really sucked me in and would not let go until the final scene. It’s this blend that makes the film more so an experience than anything else that is perhaps best seen first in theaters right now rather than when it hits home video.

85) July 25th: Jumanji - Streaming (Starz); Prior to the sequel-reboot’s release later this Winter, I figured it was time to rewatch this fondly remembered childhood classic to many. It has been plenty of years since I’ve seen the adventure feature and it was never an overwhelming favorite of mine when I was younger. Seeing it again after all these years, however, it’s clear why it’s a staple for many. It isn’t overly cutesy as some family adventure films tend to come off; the drama & emotions are high, the premise can get dark rather quickly and it’s all very intriguing to watch unfold. Robin Williams is easily the highlight in terms of acting, playing one of his more complex characters that appeals to all-ages. The computer effects, though astounding at the time, don’t hold up overly well as you have to remember upon release this was the age when even Pixar was just starting out. That being said, if they could find a way to remaster the special effects much in a similar way Star Wars has done with its home video re-releases, Jumanji could be mistaken for a recent release. The blend between practical and CGI certainly helps, while at the foundation is still a strong story that young adults and older will probably appreciate more. And with the set-up for next installment allowing us to see inside of the game for a change, I’m interested in how exactly it holds up - especially with what seems to be a far more comedic approach than this original go.

86) July 27th: The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-Wrestlemania!* - DVD (Rental - Library); For three years now, WWE and WB animation have partnered up for a variety of direct-to-video films featuring WWE’s current roster of wrestling talent. Two Scooby Doo films are certainly one thing, as the franchise of spooktacular mysteries have not stopped since their resurgence in the late 90s. The more…let’s go with “interesting”, entries in this planned partnership are members from classic animation that have not seen a modern day take in an extended period. The Flintstones arrived first in 2015 with their first new film in 14 years that, in my opinion, just felt kind of lazy and rushed. The voices seemed off, the shoehorned WWE angle just led to more puns than anything else and to think that this could be a generation’s first exposure to the franchise disheartened me as well. It’s been many years since Cartoon Network or even Boomerang (yes, there is at least the paid service app now) aired the Hanna Barbera classics regularly on television and I often wonder whether or not the current generation growing up are even aware of their existence. Now this year, WWE and WB attempted the same with The Jetsons, a franchise with an even longer streak of nearly 30 years since it’s last piece of media. When the trailers first arrived, I was kind of angry because I saw this long dormant series was only being exhumed as a cash grab. Not to mention I didn’t know exactly who this was for - kids who are fans of WWE wouldn’t necessarily know who The Jetsons are, and those old enough to care might dodge it because they saw it simply as a quick buck. But, funny enough, after actually having seen the film I can say that oddly this is the best of the WWE/WB partnership thus far. I do have to give it credit where credit is due. Despite yet another heavy handed focus on the wrestling side of the story, there is a genuinely good Jetsons movie buried inside here. The first act, which mostly deals with Big Show waking up in the future and ultimately serves as a light reintroduction for the franchise, is actually a fun albeit kind of cliché plot that works as a concept and I would have loved to seen explored more before taking a sharp left turn. The comedic dialogue dealt actually got me to laugh out loud in some parts; the voice actors really sound like a close portrayal of the original show; the animation is solidly well done (better than The Flintstones partnership’s style anyways). Furthermore, it actually has a storyline that tries to infuse a moral within and creates a sturdy-enough arc to separate it from the pack of previous entries. That’s not to say there aren’t problems though. That same moral infusement of technology-driven laziness isn’t brought to its full potential what so ever, which I believe is due more to the wrestling focus; Big Show’s characterization is all over the place; the time travel subplot feels more like a cheap knockoff of the story device used in their 80s crossover with The Flintstones; at 81 minutes it still finds time to drag, especially in the second act which is full of wrestling glorification, a montage, nabbing stars and then making their way back. And yet despite those moments that left me bored and rolling my eyes, I still walked away feeling they did something truly right here. It can be incredibly entertaining, the joke writing stands strong enough, and there’s just something that really nails the family at the heart of this all that manages to rise above everything else. Dare I say it, I actually would look forward to a follow-up…without the wrestling. For now if this is the best we get then it could’ve been far far FAR worse off. For the best example of that just look at Tom & Jerry’s recent adventure with a certain chocolate factory and confectionary maker.

87) July 30th: Miss Sloane* - DVD (Rental - Library); We live in a year heavily focused on politics. Due to this, sometimes the entertainment we want to escape from it all may also be politically focused and it can add up to an exhausted feeling (one of the reasons I couldn’t quite pick up House Of Cards again earlier this summer). In this whirlwind, there seems to have been a political thriller overlooked in the middle of Oscar season that certainly deserves that attention now: Miss Sloane. Once you get settled into the world past a crash course introduction in the first twenty minutes and the film’s primary conflict is set up, the D.C.-set feature focusing on lobbying can both impress and shock you. Jessica Chastain is incredible as the strong, cutthroat, sharp yet not invulnerable title character. Elevating it even more is a script from Jonathan Perera that at times feels reminiscent to that of an Aaron Sorkin execution with how focused and sly the dialogue hits. Sam Waterston and John Lithgow are quite notable as antagonists to Chastain’s role, but Michael Stuhlbarg tends to knock it out of the park as his character’s relationship with Sloane drives his performance. Admittedly the story’s flow seems to take a sharp halt in the second half, though it’s intentional and even spelled out by Sloane herself. But for me it hits that spot that similar politicially-driven media, such as Scandal, has in the past in which my interest is driven by the fact this fiction I’m watching could easily be happening in real life. Filled with twists and if you enjoy the aforementioned Netflix series, Miss Sloane is one to check out.

88) The Girl On The Train* - DVD (Rental - Library); Ending on a low note shall be an adaptation that I can’t even attempt to accurately voice my substantial disappointment towards. Having read and enjoyed the original novel prior to any announcement of a film version, when ill-fated reviews emerged last Fall I ultimately avoided this movie. But as curiosity finally got the better of me, I decided to sit down and watch The Girl On The Train. And ouch. Despite a voiceover plot element utilized, most of the internal dialogue of the core three characters is left to the page causing some moments to come off almost creepy (to a laugh out loud degree in spots) and reasoning behind others aren’t really delivered upon. Additionally, this adds to an unlikeability problem as Rachel’s novel turn as unreliable narrator coping with personal life setbacks & struggling to venture beyond that traumatic past comes across as raging alcoholic with weird stalker tendencies. Likewise, Anna and Tom seems to suffer from development as they seem to share a lack of a spotlight beyond what’s shown, as does Riley who seems to be popping in more as someone who states the logically obvious as opposed to deconstructing the tangled web. Furthermore, most of the reveals that on paper drive the mystery by adding intrigue somewhat lost their impact here, as twists seems stated so matter-of-fact - especially the largest one at play. Now that could in fact be more of a problem on my end, much like Fantastic Beasts, because I knew all of the material. But when out of six main characters a majority is ruled out in a single line of dialogue, it doesn’t take much of an imagination to come to a revelation as an audience goer even if the lead has yet to realize it herself. It’s all of these elements that ultimately come across as trying too hard to chase the Gone Girl hype and falling like a knockoff, with less than two hours coming across as a slow one to get through.

WHEW! Well that took a long time. Three months away can really add up, eh? Now as the summer dies down, weirdly my journal is starting to heat up with some widely notable films from the past year. But, more on that after Labor Day…

What movies did you see this Summer? Are there any movies you’d highly recommend that I should add to my watchlist? Feel free to drop me an ask or a reply!

[bleedandevolve]

Developer Diary: The Enemy Turn

I don’t know about all of you, but when inspiration sees me, it likes to charge me head on in the face and headbutt me. And then I’m supposed to take what it dishes out and write about it. A lot. A lot a lot.

What a weird life us writers live.

Anyway! Today’s topic is the enemy turn. I don’t know how many of you have been Game Masters or Dungeon Masters, but you know what’s always been the bane of my existence when I roleplayed on Monsters and Men?

The enemy turn. Basically, anything that involved statting up a completely new character (sometimes multiple) so that I could beat them into the ground.

Now, granted, towards the end of Monster and Men’s lifespan, we had a lot of things automated. The enemy turn was not one of those things. We came close, spawning a pokemon was automated, but you still had to roleplay the pokemon, you still had to track things, their HP, their skill ranks, what skills they had, and it only got worse when there was more than one pokemon. Hopefully you never had to spawn a non-pokemon, because that had no spawner and you were on your own. This was especially annoying as a Monsters and Men equivalent of a Storyteller, because it was either take the time and effort to stat out a non-pokemon (or several) so your players could beat it up, or purely spawn pokemon. You didn’t have a whole lot of options, and putting all that work into statting out people and pokemon was tiring. I know at least for me, it made me not want to post in threads where there was a lot of fighting. But we were originally almost entirely fighting based, so there wasn’t much to be done to get around it.

After reading some posts on the RPG subreddit and reading through my manual of Dungeon World, inspiration finally struck me. I was in the process of writing down some things for the equipment system (more on that in another entry!) at the time, so I quickly wrote that down and began to toss around some ideas in my notebook.

The first of these ideas was a communal health pool. Then it became a combination of a health pool and conviction, which I quickly named “Morale”. Conviction is health, but for the social system, and I wanted people to be able to contribute in battle even if they were just yelling demoralizing things at the enemies. But Morale was a high number because it represented all of the enemies. This way though, you were only tracking one number, and one target.

Another thing I considered was the overall skill rank of the enemies. And I decided that it would be the “average” of the group that you would get, so they only have one skill rank, too. Of course, you can still do things like have Journeys that have enemies that are “two skill ranks above/below” your highest skill, but this way, from what I figured, you wouldn’t be lost if you decided to catch one of the pokemon involved in the enemy posse.

That posed it’s own challenge - what happens if you want to catch a pokemon that’s involved in the enemy group? So far, I’ve been playing around with that once you lower the enemy’s Morale, you get a post to do what you will to all of them. One hit will kill them, you can catch them, or you can let them run.

While we’re still working out the finer details, like what type the attack is that’s hitting you is, and what are good numbers for different scenarios, preliminary play testing is so far showing that this idea is not only simpler, but a lot faster, and that’s very valuable in a forum environment.

We are testing currently with the idea that enemies only can attack the amount of times that there are enemies (so four enemies could attack four times) but only if their last attack was successful. They get to keep going if they roll a success, so in one go, that enemy group could roll four successes and knock you on your butt. But if they failed even once, their “cascade” stops, and they have to wait until the next post to attack again. This also made it a lot faster to get through a fight, though, because you weren’t rolling two actions a turn for everyone. No, here you’re rolling multiple with Energy Pools and this new idea on how to do enemies. And like I said, that’s valuable, because no one likes fights to drag on for two pages worth of posts (we, unfortunately, had a member on MaM who had this happen to them) because everyone is constantly missing. I mean, sure, it’s not fun either to get instantly curb stomped, and it’s boring to hit each other constantly and not have anything happen. It’s all about finding a balance, and that’s what we’re trying to do.

I do fully think (and hope) this is a workable solution to the issue of enemies being a pain in the ass to stat out and track. As one of my fellow staffers, Aurora, put it, the fights also feel more cinematic this way, which is lovely when it comes to forum roleplay. I’m going to keep testing it and seeing what I need to tweak to get it to work, if need be I’ll go back to the drawing board, but this seems like we’re on the right track! I’ll probably write a follow-up journal to this once we have more solid information, but I’m really excited about the prospect of this and thought I should share it with you guys!

The Changes:

Enemies no longer rely on the same statting system as player characters and their pokemon.

Enemies share a health pool that is combined with their Conviction.

Enemies can only attack as many times as there are enemies.

Enemies share a skill rank “average” for their attacks.

Enemies have communal instincts that effect all of them as a whole.

- Thief

[ricardosousalemos]

Portishead: Dummy

In the UK, a dummy isn’t just a mannequin or an idiot; it’s also what Americans would call a pacifier. Savor the irony in the title of Portishead’s debut album. The album may suggest coziness, sonic swaddling, the gentle soundtrack to a raver’s comedown—and in 1994, ravers were plenty familiar with pacifiers. But Dummy doesn’t coddle, it unsettles. It tastes not like warm milk but coppery and bitter, like blood. Despite its two-plus decades spent soundtracking makeout sessions, it cradles a terrible loneliness in its heart. Despite its reputation as dinner-party music, it is straight-up discomfort food: curl-up-and-die music, head-under-the-covers music. It’s dark, dank, and quintessentially Bristol, mingling a chilling harbor fog with the resin of a thousand spliffs left to burn down in a haze.

With the exception of two UK singles released shortly before the album, there was no advance warning of the wind blowing in from the West Country. Portishead weren’t a gigging band; they only began playing live after the album started selling the kind of numbers that no one, at least no one in the band, expected it to. They were barely a band at all, in the traditional sense of the word. Their core lineup consisted of Geoff Barrow, a 22-year-old hip-hop fan obsessed with turntable alchemy; Adrian Utley, a 37-year old jazz guitarist looking for a way out of the 20th century; and Beth Gibbons, a 29-year-old singer who’d grown up on a farm and, prior to Portishead, had “probably done more singing in her bedroom than on stage,” Barrow reckoned. Yet there isn’t a sound or a syllable out of place on Dummy. For 50 minutes, the album sustains a single, all-enveloping mood; its tracklist is a 10-sided die where every roll comes up some variation of despair.

Today, Portishead are regarded with a certain inevitability—their sound so perfectly executed, so in tune with the tenor of its times—that belies the sheer weirdness of how it probably sounded when you first heard it. It’s true that Dummy carries echoes of many landmark albums of the preceding years: the wistful narcosis of Mazzy Star and Cocteau Twins, the skeletal hip-hop of Eric B. & Rakim, the ethereal torch songs of Julee Cruise. PJ Harvey flits through its margins; so do the Orb’s stoned swirl and Seefeel’s dubby undercurrents. By 1994, Dummy’s after-hours vibe was already familiar from dozens of albums meant primarily for horizontal consumption, such as the KLF’s Chill Out, though Barrow downplayed any link to that scene. “Ambient music has never particularly appealed to me: Push ‘Go’ on a synthesizer, make some noise, put some delay on it and put a couple of sheep noises on it,” he sniffed to Melody Maker in 1995, in a barely disguised dig at Chill Out’s wooly livestock samples.

As much as Portishead’s sound was part of electronic music’s widespread mellowing, the musicians themselves had little truck with the rave scene; their own roots were closer to the dub and breakbeat traditions that had long been cornerstones of multicultural Bristol. Dummy’s closest antecedent was Massive Attack’s Blue Lines, and not by coincidence: Barrow had worked as an errand boy and tape op in Bristol’s Coach House Studios while that record was being made.

But Dummy is too idiosyncratic to feel like a calculated response to its predecessors. Its obsessions are too specific, and too doggedly pursued: the spy-movie twang of the guitars, the ripple of the Hammond organs and Leslie cabinets—if anything, its vintage signifiers feel out of step with that era’s rush of pre-millennium tension. Bristol’s junglists were carving new routes to the future in every chopped-up breakbeat, while Portishead were drizzling on muted trumpet solos like so much curdled milk. Where most of the decade’s cutting-edge electronic music was zealous about its agenda, Dummy pledged allegiance only to a mood.

The broad outlines of Portishead’s music are not particularly hard to decipher. They like their tempos slow, their drums crisp, their keyboards velvety. Gibbons sings with a smoky intensity that’s evocative of Billie Holiday and Sandy Denny without stooping to imitation. In the midst of an all-pervasive gloom, key details—tremolo-soaked guitar licks, turntable scratches, an unexpected sample of jazz fusioners Weather Report—glisten like peacock feathers under a blacklight.

They favor sounds imprinted with a host of associations, many of them filmic. Utley’s riffs come straight from John Barry’s James Bond theme; the woozy sine waves of “Mysterons” echo sci-fi soundtracks like The Day the Earth Stood Still; and “Sour Times” loops an extended sample of Lalo Schifrin’s music for Mission: Impossible. Their cinematic inclinations are borne out in the fact that they made an actual short film, To Kill a Dead Man, before the album itself. The 10-minute, black-and-white film is not particularly consequential, but it is notable for the way it visually remixes many of the same influences that make the album feel so instantly familiar. Fortunately, they proved to be far more adept at translating those moods and devices into music.

Like film noir, with its fondness for Venetian blinds and ceiling fans, Dummy thrives on mixing light and dark, hard and soft, positive and negative space. In “Strangers,” clean-toned jazz guitar morphs into a nervous dial-tone buzz. The galumphing rhythm feels like a heavy burlap bag being dragged over railroad ties, but Gibbons’ voice—a home-recorded demo that made the final edit—is a slender thread pulled taut. The metallic rattle at the center of “Sour Times,” an extended Lalo Schifrin sample, might be an alarm clock bouncing across the surface of a trampoline. Expert diggers, they know a nugget when they find it: Flipping Eric Burdon and War’s “Magic Mountain,” they take a sample that De La Soul had put to jubilant use in “Potholes in My Lawn” and turn it seasick and queasy. Even more remarkable is how they treat Johnnie Ray’s “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” on “Biscuit,” slowing its refrain down to 16 RPM and turning a sticky-sweet wad of ’50s bubblegum into a druggy dirge.

Their sense of contrast is particularly noticeable in the album’s rhythms. Barrow’s lickety-split vinyl scratching helps counterbalance the uniformly sluggish tempos, but the real action is in their breakbeats. In “Mysterons,” the looped snare rolls sound like a steel trap snapping shut and being pried back open in quick succession. The “Sour Times” beat resembles James Brown’s iconic “Funky Drummer” break, but transposed for a planet with only half of Earth’s gravity. “Wandering Star” and “Numb,” on the other hand, push forward as though running underwater, every beat a struggle against an overwhelming force. Track after track, the album toggles between crisp steppers and deadweight friction, between ping-ponging ricochets and Sisyphus’ last stand.

This groove was their invention, and theirs alone. Unlike most of their peers, Portishead didn’t rely on the same hoary Ultimate Breaks and Beats bootlegs that fueled the majority of the era’s club tracks. Their music may sound like the work of a couple of obsessive vinyl connoisseurs, but the irony is that they made most of it themselves. Some musicians speak of soundtracks to imaginary films; they created an imaginary soundtrack to use as their source material. Assisted by the drummer Clive Deamer, Barrow and Utley would jam in the studio, creating their own approximations of the ’60s music that inspired them. Once they had their songs engineered on 24-track tape, they'd take the final product and feed it back into their samplers; some material they even pressed onto vinyl dubplates, to manipulate the way a hip-hop producer would cut up breakbeats. Not quite a band, hardly a strictly electronic project, they had to invent their own kind of virtuosity, one that encompassed musicianship, technology, and aura. “It’s the air around the thing,” Barrow told The Wire. “What we are trying to do is create this air, this atmosphere: It’s the stuff that’s in between the hi-hat and the snare that you can’t hear, but if it wasn’t there you would notice it, it would be wrong.”

This air was the medium through which Gibbons’ voice soared. Would Portishead have been one-tenth the band they turned out to be had Barrow and Utley contented themselves with instrumentals, or hired session singers to lend a soulful patina at freelance rates? Not on your life. Gibbons’ voice is the center of the music; she elevates the recordings from tracks to songs, from mere head-nodders to forlorn lullabies.

She follows the contours of her voice along its breathy edge, cutting sharply through the meat of a glissando, falling back on the catch in her throat. Despite her convincing air of sorrow, she’s a knowing, playful singer, capable of shifting emotional registers on a dime, cycling through moods—jazzy and coquettish, grimly resigned, wild with grief—like a housefly tracing squares in empty space. In “Wandering Star,” her tone sounds almost flirtatious, despite the overwhelming vastness of her subject matter: “Wandering stars/For whom it is reserved/The blackness, the darkness, forever.” In the closing “Glory Box,” on the other hand, she is as incendiary as Utley’s overdriven guitar riffs, and when she sings, “This is the beginning/Of forever and ever, oh,” her sigh feels like a hole torn in the fabric of the universe.

And her occasional obliqueness frequently gives way to the album's real emotional payoff: out-and-out dejection. Some lines stand out as clearly as dog-eared diary entries: “Give me a reason to love you/Give me a reason to be a woman”; “Nobody loves me, it’s true/Not like you do”; “How can it feel this wrong?” When her words are hazy, her diction tricky, it might as well be part of a grand and treacherous strategy, like a boxer’s footwork catching you off guard before the knockout punch lands.

Without a public persona to measure Gibbons’ performance against, her presence within the songs was, and remains, that much more formidable. Pop fans typically like to know who is singing to them and why, even if it's an invented character. But that central mystery only makes Dummy that much more compelling. Who is this lovelorn woman marching off to war on “Roads,” her broken pleas part sigh, part icicle? Who will she become on the far side of forever and ever—the promised land of “Glory Box,” an uncharted territory that she makes sound both liberating and terrifying? Dummy arrived at a moment when young people were craving soundtracks for the comedown—but what happens when you follow Portishead all the way down, as far as they want to take us? These questions keep you coming back, trying to puzzle out its intimidating balance between bleakness and blankness.

It’s possible to hear in Dummy a collection of gratifyingly sad-but-sexy gestures, and plenty of Portishead’s followers—Lamb, Morcheeba, Olive, Alpha, Mono, Hooverphonic, Sneaker Pimps, and dozens of other acts forever lost to the cut-out bin of history—did just that. Whole retail empires flourished and collapsed while Portishead and their ilk were piped through the in-store speakers. Is Dummy stylish? Of course it is; you don’t evoke ’60s spy flicks without some deep-seated feelings about aesthetics, panache, the proper cut of a suit. But style, stylishness, is only the beginning. None of Portishead’s imitators understood that it’s not the blue notes or the mood lighting that make it tick—it’s the pockets of emptiness inside. Like Barrow once said, it’s the air.

[letterboxd]

Most Picture 2020.

In which we award the Most Picture Oscar to the most-rewatched of the 2020 Best Picture nominees, and track down the Letterboxd member who most obsessively rewatched the Most Obsessively Rewatched Film in our 2019 Year in Review—Avengers: Endgame—to ask “Why?”.

Once again, we dive into the data on the Oscar Best Picture nominees to name not the Best Picture (respect to Parasite!), but what is the Most Picture, as in, which of the nine 2020 finalists was rewatched the most by Letterboxd members?

And the 2020 “Most” Picture Award goes to… Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Letterboxd member Movie15 has the distinction of having logged Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood the most—a whopping 26 times since its August release, and though he hasn’t reviewed it on Letterboxd, we’ve enjoyed his quest to see Tarantino’s latest in as many Los Angeles movie theaters as possible, on 35mm as often as he can.

Bong Joon-ho’s multi-Academy-Award-winning masterpiece, Parasite, comes next, just 859 views behind—Khoi is the Letterboxd member who has most obsessively rewatched the film to date, with eleven recorded watches. Third place (and almost 14,000 views behind the two leaders) goes to Joker, watched the most (seventeen times) by Kenai Fleck, a hard-core Batman fan.

In fourth place, Little Women. Micah Simmons has logged the film fourteen times (but may in fact be pushing 20 views). On the thirteenth view, “I have nothing to add, except for mentioning a shot right before the scene where Amy does *the thing* to Jo, and there’s a crazy shot that foreshadows *the thing* so well and fuck this movie is smart.” Then come Marriage Story, The Irishman, 1917, Jojo Rabbit and Ford v. Ferrari in that order.

The official Letterboxd Most Picture list reveals the combined number of watches for all members with two or more entries for these films.

The Rewatches We Logged Along the Way

Avengers: Endgame was the Most Obsessively Rewatched Film of 2019 in our Year in Review, which means it had the highest number of Letterboxd members logging it five or more times in their diaries.

Member Max Joseph has the distinction of having logged Avengers: Endgame more times than any other. When we told him we needed to know why, he replied: “I’d be honored to talk about my love for Avengers Endgame!” Spoilers follow in this Q&A with Max (though at this point if you haven’t seen Avengers: Endgame it’s probably only because Max has watched it for you). This interview was conducted prior to the 2020 Academy Awards.

How many times do you think you have seen Avengers: Endgame? Max Joseph: Well, I’ve logged it 26 times as of today. But I also think there are a good three or four watches I didn’t log because I occasionally put it on before bed, and just never logged it. So I’d say my final answer is 29, but that honestly may be lowballing it. I have a feeling that by the time the Oscars roll around, it’ll probably be at 30. I always watch every single film, documentary and short nominated for the Oscars, and thankfully, Endgame was nominated!

What’s your reaction to the news that you are the member who has logged it the most? Kind of shocked! I really didn’t even realize how many times I watched it until you told me! I watch Avengers: Endgame because it brings me happiness, and I love the adventure! When it finally came out on Blu-ray and digital, there were a few times I would watch it multiple times in one day. Then I’d throw something else on, then get upset that I wasn’t watching Avengers. So maybe it isn’t as shocking as I had thought!

What keeps you coming back to it? I love all genres of film. Take this season for example. I love the more meaty and dramatic films like Parasite, 1917, Waves, Queen & Slim. I love comedies like Jojo Rabbit and Booksmart. Animation like Toy Story 4, Frozen II and Klaus.

But, you give me someone flying, turning invisible, super speed… that’s where I live. Superhero movies are just my favorites, and I think the reason I keep coming back to Avengers: Endgame is because besides being a superhero movie—which I just naturally gravitate towards—in Endgame, I get a little bit of every genre and mood. I also like that it’s split up into three acts, and each act gives me what I want in a superhero movie:

Act one is the slow burn, which we never really got in the MCU up to this point. It’s the aftermath of Avengers: Infinity War, and them dealing with the implications and the new normal of the universe. And this gives a chance for the story to build, and our actors to show off, especially Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson. It gives something new to the fans of the franchise and is one of the biggest reasons I keep coming back for more.

Act two is the “time heist” and it is a pure love letter to the fans of the franchise. They revisit some of the best parts of our MCU journey over the last eleven years and mess with it. Is it fan service? Absolutely! But I think they did it right.

Act three is the final battle at the now-destroyed Avengers headquarters. And this was where the slow burn pays off. It is what we’ve all been waiting for since 2008. The grand finale. The culmination of eleven years and 22 films. We are gifted my favorite battle I’ve ever seen, bone-chilling and heartbreaking moments, as well as the most cathartic endings to the most epic story I’ve ever had the privilege to watch, nearly 30 times over.

What have you noticed with each rewatch? Two things: firstly, how unbelievable the visual effects are. I may be alone in this, but I think Marvel has the best visual effects on the planet. By miles. And rewatching this makes me appreciate how much time and dedication was put into making this. So much happened behind the scenes, that I personally don’t really think about while watching it. But after 26 views, I start to think about green screens, the motion capturing, all of those elements, it’s insane! Go on YouTube and just check out all of that work they did visually. It’s beautiful.

Secondly, how brilliant Robert Downey Jr. is. I’ve been saying it for years, but RDJ was born to play Tony Stark. Has he had many other brilliant performances throughout his career? Absolutely. But I think that if he was not cast as Iron Man, this franchise wouldn’t have turned out the way it did. He is the heart of the MCU. And he has so many brilliant moments throughout the film, meets his dad during the “time heist”, the realization of “the one”, even the way he interacts with his daughter, Morgan. It’s truly exceptional work. I think it’s his best performance as Stark.

What is the single greatest scene in the film? Oy, well that’s near impossible. A few standouts are Cap wielding Mjölnir, the scene with Tony and his dad, the reveal of Professor Hulk, thicc Thor, Cap vs. Cap, “the snap”. There are so many! But I think the popular answer is also the greatest, and that is when our Avengers return.

As soon as I heard Sam Wilson’s (Falcon) voice, I lost my mind. And they brilliantly added “On your left” right before all the portals open up. “On your left” is a callback to Captain America: The Winter Soldier. That’s the first line of the movie, and is repeated again at the end. Both times are between Sam and Steve, and it was the same in Endgame. And then you add Alan Silvestri’s score (the song is titled ‘Portals’) which is building and building with emotion, which leads into Cap finally saying…

“Avengers (music cuts) Assemble”… (enter Avengers theme song)

It. Is. Perfection. I have chills as I type this. It was probably the greatest theater experience I’ve had in my life. I was sobbing. Imagine how I was by the end…

What has the overall Avengers cinematic adventure meant to you? I remember seeing the first Iron Man in theaters with some friends in 2008. We all dressed up in suits, because we were at a high school awards show kind of thing, and just went straight to the theater, and we had the best time. From the first moment ’til the end, when Tony says, “I am Iron Man”, then Black Sabbath’s ‘Iron Man’ starts playing, my jaw was on the floor. I gave a standing ovation. In a suit. From that moment on, I knew that this was made for me.

It has given me the greatest moments in a movie theater, incredible discussions with friends and strangers, and although it may seem cheesy, some much-needed happiness in some of the most difficult times in my life. I watch these stories because I love them. They mean something to me. They are an important part of who I am.

What would you say to people who say that blockbusters like these aren't ‘real’ cinema? Hahaha! This is a hilarious question, and I’m thrilled that you asked it. I’ve actually had a good 20 people ask me this, and I always said that I’d write something or make a video about it, so here we go…

Let me start off by saying that Martin Scorsese is arguably one of the greatest directors of all time. I love his work, I respect it, and I encourage everyone to watch his full repertoire, ’cause it’s beautiful.

That being said… ‘real cinema’ is a matter of opinions. To me, Avengers: Endgame is just as much real cinema, as The Irishman, Goodfellas, The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, anything. I don’t care who you are, you can be Martin Scorsese, Kevin Feige, one of my friends, a stranger, I don’t think you have the right to tell me what is ‘real cinema’. You can say something isn’t good, or only being made to earn a profit, but you don’t get to say that movies like this aren’t worthy of being ‘real cinema’. To me, they are. You’re more than entitled to that opinion! I just happen to disagree with you, but you’re not wrong by any means. I’m entitled to my opinion, you’re entitled to yours. And that’s what it comes down to. Opinions.

Thicc Thor—keep or send back to the gym? I totally don’t care. Taika Waititi figured out how to write that character in Thor: Ragnarok, and thankfully they continued writing him this way in Endgame. So as long as the writers continue on the path that Waititi sent him on, I’m good. Make him thicc, give him an eight-pack, as long as the character has purpose and the lines flow naturally, I’m more than satisfied with whatever he looks like.

How amped are you to learn more about Natasha’s background in this year’s Black Widow? Finally! We’ve been waiting since Iron Man 2, and it is finally time for the Black Widow movie she deserves! I’m fascinated by the Red Room, which was where she started her training as a Russian spy. They showed us glimpses of her beginnings in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, and I’ve always been hungry for more information because it looked really interesting.

I also think that we may finally find out what happened in Budapest. It was first mentioned in The Avengers back in 2012, as a bit of banter between Black Widow and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and has kind of been a mystery ever since. It was actually mentioned again in Endgame. I’m basing this on the San Diego Comic-Con Hall H panel. There was a title card that said “Budapest”, so it would make sense that we’re gonna get what we’ve been asking for!

I’m also thrilled because the cast is awesome. Obviously double Oscar-nominated actor this season, Scarlett Johansson, Rachel Weisz, David Harbour and one of my favorite actors, Florence Pugh, who had an unbelievable 2019, with Fighting With My Family, Midsommar (one of my favorite performances of the decade), and she topped it off with an Oscar-nominated performance in Little Women!

What do you think should win best picture at this year’s Oscars? Parasite. And it’s not even close. I think Parasite is one of the greatest films I’ve seen in my life. I think it deserves that number one slot on your Top 250 Narrative Features list.

It features the best performance from an ensemble, Song Kang-ho should have been nominated for supporting actor (he should be winning). The production design is fabulous. They literally built the Park family’s house for the film! Hong Kyung-pyo’s photography is worthy of being framed. He created a few shots that are permanently engraved in my head (in a good way). And of course, Bong Joon-ho’s direction flows with emotion and his script is original, gripping and electric. He is the definition of a visionary, at the top of his game.

Parasite is the crowning achievement of the decade and should be awarded as such. It would be the perfect way to end the decade with the first foreign-language film (now titled “International Feature Film”) winning Best Picture at the Oscars. #BONGHIVE all the way!

What do you think will win? My heart says Parasite, but I think it may end up going to something like Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood, The Irishman or 1917 (which is in my top ten this year). The easy answer is probably Hollywood because it won the Globe, but that doesn’t always translate into an Oscar.

But if it’s not Parasite, I think it should be 1917. It is a technical work of art from Oscar, Golden Globe and Tony Award-winning director Sam Mendes. Roger Deakins outdid himself and is pretty much guaranteed to earn his second Oscar [update: he did!]. Thomas Newman’s score is probably my favorite of the year (possibly of his career), followed closely by Emile Mosseri’s for The Last Black Man in San Francisco and Hildur Guðnadóttir’s for Joker. And George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman should be on everyone’s radar. They’re phenomenal. It’s shaping up to be quite a race this year!

What’s your favorite thing about Letterboxd? I think the reason I love it so much is because it feels like a family. I’ve had such a passion for the cinema for my whole life, and I like to share it wherever I can. But other social platforms (as wonderful as they are), aren’t always the best place to post about every single movie I’ve watched, or a top ten that I make. Letterboxd is the only place where I can let out all of my opinions, all of my thoughts, without feeling embarrassed or like I’m bothering anyone when I say how perfect Avengers: Endgame is. Or if I watch it and spot something new, I can post about it, and have great conversations about what I’ve discovered. It is the place for movie lovers, and it actually helped me love movies more, and to learn more about the crews, studios, and everything behind the film.